Under 17's MATCH REPORTS

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Monday 30th June 2008

Mottram 76         Hollingworth 99 For 9

Charity Begins At Home

I suppose it was going to happen one day. Our desire to have a decent game of cricket and also to involve all the team worked against us this time when we could have quite easily rolled the opposition over and had the game wrapped up before 8pm. That would have been the clinical way but as there is no chance of us winning the league we chose the other option.

Hollingworth’s early batting was very poor and at 13 for 3 with Alex Birch (1 for 11) and Harry Moore (2 for 4) causing all kinds of problems and Jordan Irons looking a class act behind the timbers it was very apparent that this was going to be yet another one sided affair. The visitors were floundering on 36 for 7 at one stage. Stand in skipper Adam Hilton decided to mix things up and everyone with the exception of Nick Kromoloki who’s ribs are still sore, was given a bowl. Ali Brown picked up a couple of wickets as did Oliver Andrews but the latter was rather expensive as was Jacob Hall who’s last over went for 17. From nowhere it seemed, the powerfully built Tyldesley came out of his previously dormant shell to smash Mottram’s bowling all around the ground. Prior to this onslaught he had looked bereft and incapable of hitting the ball off the square but his 41 was in the context of the game a match winning knock.

Hollingworth came out with all guns blazing and non playing captain Simon Smith had them really fired up. Alex Birch was caught behind for one and then Jordan Irons was triggered, adjudged leg before, for only 5. Adam Hilton looked really out of sorts and fell for a disappointing 8 and it was left to the inform Ryan Nixon to more or less single handedly try to steer his side home. Unfortunately, despite some lusty blows he was given little support and was last man out for a well struck 34.

To their credit, Hollingworth had bowled and fielded magnificently with McNee 5 for 15 and Bishop 3 for 13 outstanding, but I can’t help feeling that had we wanted to be totally ruthless, the outcome would have been very different.

John Birch

Monday 23rd June 2008

Mottram 131 For 4       Hadfield 104 For 5

MOTTRAM TAP INTO RICH RESERVES

Not too many years ago, an under 17’s side missing four of it’s older players (three of them representing Tameside) would have been calamitous but that is not the case nowadays as we are finding ourselves blessed with a wealth of young talent in the lower age groups. All four replacements from the under 13’s were confident and competent in the field and when called upon, bowled with control and no shortage of ability.

Taking first knock, Mottram were soon up against it losing the usually dependant Alex Birch in the first over. Harry Moore(38), promoted to three in the absence of the Tameside trio batted with maturity and responsibility and with Ryan Nixon(34) shared an excellent partnership of 85 which virtually ensured victory for the visitors. Matthew Harrop’s heroics off the penultimate over were just the ticket as he took 14 off Wyche who had bowled with a nice left arm action and  good pace.

Once again it was decided to make the game safe with Nuttall and Birch’s 10 overs going for just 32, before giving some of the younger lads a chuck. Jordan Thomas took 1 for 12 off his two overs, Oliver Andrews 1 for 6 off his two and Alisdair Brown 2 for 22 off three very good overs of off spin, one victim courtesy of a superb catch in the deep by young Nick Kromoloki. Newcomer George Southern bowled well without any luck as Wyche opened his shoulders and reached a well struck 70 not out.

All in all this was a thoroughly enjoyable victory with the opportunity to have a look at how our younger lads are progressing. I am pleased to be able to report that they are doing very nicely thank very much.

John Birch

Monday 16th June 2008

Mottram 103 For 2       Old Glossop 101

ANOTHER DAY IN BATTING PARADISE FOR MOTTRAM

Taking first knock on Saturday’s track and in fact the previous six matches, Old Glossop got off to a reasonable start but once again it soon became apparent that if the frontline bowlers were used throughout,  Mottram would not have much of a total to chase. It was therefore decided to give everybody a chuck with the exception of Alex Birch and Jordan Thomas (that was an oversight, sorry Jordan, maybe next week)

There was some very average fielding interspersed with some very good pieces of out cricket and two direct hits from JT and Matt Harrop were noteworthy highlights. A hard hitting 31 from young Burns for the visitors was the only real resistance and they were dismissed in the last over of the innings.

The response was exhilarating and emphatic, with Birch(31) and Fitton(31no) climbing into the visitors bowling. The understanding these two have when running between the wickets is almost telepathic and has been a feature of their game from under 11’s days, Old Glossop were run ragged and the home side had 52 on the board in little over 6 overs before Birch needlessly gave his wicket away. Jordan Irons, coming in at three, coasted to a classy 22 before he attempted to finish the game with the big one and was clean bowled. It was left to skipper Ryan Fitton, who is in the form of his life (over 300 runs in a week) to effortlessly steer his side home to victory in the 14th over.

Mottram’s batting power is there for all to see but they are letting themselves down in the field where they look shoddy and lethargic and one day soon it will cost them dear if there is not a marked improvement.

John Birch

Monday 9th June 2008

Mottram 98 For 0       Newton 97 For 8

NEWTON SWEPT ASIDE BY RAMPANT MOTTIES

A poor Newton side were simply blown away by a Mottram team which seems to be finding it’s feet after an indifferent start to the season.

Batting first in the time honoured fashion It soon became apparent that the visitors were no match for Mottram’s front line bowlers with Jack Nuttall taking 1 for none from his three overs and Alex Birch was similarly difficult to score from. Skipper Ryan Fitton gave Matthew ('Fudge') Harrop the ball who recorded career best figures of 3 for 37 from his five overs and Jacob Hall 1 for 18 from his five. Ali Brown, a last minute addition to the side, continued from where he left off with the u15’s taking a creditable 2 for 7. Looks like a cricketer this lad, one of the few who keeps his shirt tucked in! 

Chasing what could have been a tricky total it was decided to open with the usual suspects and then assess the situation once the game was safe. The game was more than safe after 10 overs, in fact it was won, as Fitton(45no) and Birch(37no) destroyed some profligate bowling from the visitors and despite one or two dropped catches from Newton, there were few alarms as Mottram completed their third victory in convincing fashion. 

Another home match next week against Old Glossop should provide a sterner test but Mottram are hitting their straps now and should fear no side in the league.

JOHN BIRCH

Monday 2nd June 2008

Mottram 90 For 9        Broadbottom 89 For 5

Never Say Die Spirit Wins The Day

However you try to dress this one up it was a quite remarkable and unlikely win when at the interval all had appeared lost. Mottram’s innings had got off to a great start with Ryan Fitton(37) and partner Alex Birch with eight racing to 44 off just 7 overs. What happened after their dismissals was hard to fathom but a series of poor shots and some tidy bowling from the home side saw the visitors limp to a sorry 90 for 9.

Mottram would have to scrap to pull this one out of the hat and they did so in a nail biter almost akin to their victory over Compstall.

In spite of Roters fine and patient 41and Cheetham’s 15 Mottram clinched victory off the final two balls of the innings. Broadbottom had started the last over with 7 wickets in hand and needing seven to win. With two balls left they had scored 5 of the required runs and Roters was on strike. Ryan Nixon’s off break deceived the charging batsman and Jordan Irons whipped off the bails, delirium ensued. The younger Roters came to the crease only to be clean bowled by Nixon’s final delivery, what a finish!

Cricket’s a funny old game.

John Birch

Monday 12th May 2008

Mottram 98 For 8      Romiley 134 For 2

DOWN TO EARTH WITH A BANG

Taking first knock on a pacey wicket openers Holt (49) and Rowe (28) got off to a flyer from which Mottram never recovered and they had 75 on the board before Rowe became the first of  Alex Birch’s two wickets and the former fell one short of what would have been a fine half century, courtesy of a brilliant stumping by Jordan Irons. Roberts then continued the onslaught with a well struck 35 giving Mottram’s bowling attack a mauling and their fielders were run ragged.                                                                                                                                 

However, if Mottram could get a start their powerful batting line up was more than capable of chasing down a total of 134. It was not to be, and they reckoned without the formidable presence of opening bowler Trowsdale who’s spell of 3 for 16 put paid to any winning aspirations in devastating fashion. His in swinging deliveries bowled a brisk pace were too much for Mottram to contend with although Adam Hilton could consider himself unlucky to have been adjudged run out when clearly, to all but the umpire he looked well in.

Birch(12), Nixon(11), Wright(11) all played some nice shots before getting out and captain Ryan Fitton was last out going for glory with a confident 31. The highlight of the innings though, was a huge towering 6 over deep mid on.

Romiley were better in every department and this defeat should serve as a wake up call to Mottram that, as with anything, you have to do more than just turn up and go through the motions.

 

John Birch

Monday 5th May 2008

MOTTRAM 90 For 6       COMPSTALL 86 For 6

Mottram Snatch Victory From The Jaws Of Defeat

The fat lady was gargling when Harry Moore commenced the last over of this thrilling encounter at sun drenched Compstall on Bank Holiday Monday. With the opposition requiring just 5 runs to win and with 6 wickets in hand, he produced a match winning performance taking 2 wickets at the cost of only 1 run, which saw the visitors home in nail biting fashion.  

Batting first, Mottram openers, Fitton (35) and Birch (37) produced an excellent platform of 67 for what should have been a total in excess of 130.  Instead, after their dismissals, the innings closed on a hugely disappointing 90 for 6.  Pick of the Compstall bowlers was James Shaw with a fine return of 4 for 6 from 2 overs. 

In reply, Compstall’s openers’ Millen and Ince raced to 62 in double quick time.  Even the introduction of spinners, Fitton and Nixon couldn’t stem the flow of runs, although both bowled with flight and guile.  With the light fading fast and the home side requiring just 16 runs from the last 5 overs, Jack Nuttall  delivered 2 excellent overs conceding just 4 runs  before Harry Moore raced in with his final match winning virtuoso.

For me though, the best bowler of the night on either side was Nuttall who swung and seamed the ball at will without collecting any wickets for his efforts. On another day he could have bagged a five for. Not bad for a boy who wasn’t even going to play this season!

John Birch