Visits to Minor Counties cricket have been somewhat restricted so far this season, so it was very pleasant to be at Alderley Edge on Sunday 16th July for the first day of Cheshire's three day game with Wales Minor Counties. With an overcast morning batting looked rather difficult for the home side and runs came only slowly. Interestingly the Cheshire opening pair of Calum Rowe and Danny Leech who put on 36 before Rowe was out, included someone who has returned to Minor Counties cricket this season after a nine year gap!
I remember seeing Leech score a double century for Cheshire in a play off final against Northumberland at Jesmond ten years ago. After being one of the county's most consistent scorers he took some years off, apparently due to business commitments, but has returned this season. He stayed in for most of the morning session and helped Rick Moore take the score to 98 when he was caught behind for 35 hard earned runs. Rick Moore, who was a very good player and captain with Leeds/Bradford University some years ago now, has been a consistent run scorer with Cheshire and made a useful 44 before being bowled by Oliver Pike. This young man has played for Glamorgan seconds and is not to be confused with the fictitious character referred to in my report on the Home Guard cup competition.
Wayne White, a former county player with Derbyshire, Lancashire and Leicester, took time to settle but played a valuable innings of 38 before being bowled by leg spinner Sam Pearce. The sun came out during the afternoon and batting conditions improved. Skipper Lee Dixon, as so often, added a much more positive note to proceeding and his innings was the most attractive of the day. He top scored with 67, which included ten fours and one six.
The ground was a real picture in the afternoon and early evening sunshine, with the trees on the Edge across the road looking at their best. Lots of tennis taking place on the adjoining courts, quite suitable for Wimbledon's finals day and an excellent well run club in most respects. One small criticism was the failure to clear all the rubbish bins, which were all overloaded following a mid week charity match played by Freddie Flintoff's Ashes legends.
However good support from wicket keeper Robert Sehmi and Jack Williams kept the runs flowing at the end of the innings, even after Dixon was out, and the innings closed on a most respectable 331 all out just one ball short of the first innings limit of 90 overs. The red-capped Welsh team stuck to their task well, the fielding was excellent and all the eight bowlers used contributed well. The pacemen Edwards and Pike had the best figures but Greg Holmes medium pace brought him 1-16 from 8 overs and leg spinner Sam Pearce worked hard with 1-56 from 20 overs.
Wales lost just one wicket, that of Gareth Ansell, in the final twenty overs session and finished day one on 58-1. So the game is evenly poised and even though Wales are currently bottom of the Western Division table they will not be overawed and will still be confident of getting something from this game. Good luck to them and all the other Minor Counties sides. I hope to see more over the next two or three weeks.
P.S. Just received a message from my friend Keith Fenton who is at Alderley Edge on day two. He has just run up the Edge at lunchtime! I didn't even have the strength to walk up it.
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