Disley Cricket Club

Disley welcomed in the second half of the season by exacting full revenge on a Cheadle Hulme Ladybridge side that had defeated the 1stXI by 17 runs on the opening day.  Everything went to plan as Disley won the toss and duly dispatched the hosts for just 97, Ross Arrowsmith returning the best 1stXI analysis of the season to date with 7-41 from an unchanged spell. The wicket wasn’t a featherbed, but nor was it a minefield as shown by the manner in which Disley efficiently knocked off the runs, led by opener Al Brownsword. He added 28 and 62-run partnerships for the only two wickets to fall in the reply, helping himself to an unflustered 63* not out in the process that included twelve off-side boundaries as Disley romped home in 24 overs.

The 1stXI welcomed back several players for this encounter, the team determined to make amends for a disappointing opening-day defeat to Ladybridge as well as last weekend’s horror show at Pott Shrigley. With more batting power at his disposal, the skipper elected to chase and his side were instantly in the ascendency, asserting a dominance they would maintain throughout the afternoon. It wasn’t spectacular cricket with batsmen jumping and stumps flying, but the home side were soon 49-7 as Disley revelled in the virtues of line and length bowling supported by solid catching. Ross Arrowsmith, still off a short run due to injury, was the main beneficiary but all of the four-man attack found consistency to frustrate the home side. Skipper Paul Weir’s loose drive to mid-on (9-1) set the tone for a series of half-hearted strokes that meant, by the time Martin Blackbourn was into the attack and having Lomax well stumped by Tim Baker (the only wicket not caught), Ladybridge’s top seven had carded six single-figure scores. The only respite for the hosts came in the form of their number nine, Spreadborough, who announced himself with a mow over cow corner for 6 on his way to a belligerent 32 as Disley went a little flat for a period. However, it wasn’t long before Bishop held out to deep extra-cover to give Arrowsmith a deserved 5-for and Spreadborough’s luck ran out and he found the hands of the Andrew Clarke. Things were duly wrapped up in the 40th over as Ritchie circled under a skier to give Arrowsmith his 7th wicket – Ladybridge 97 all-out.

Aero led the way with an unchanged spell to return 7-41, the consistency of Disley’s attack showing as they sent down 13 maidens (9 or which were bowled by Arrowsmith) from their 39.3 overs . The pressure told in the form of aerial strokes as Disley’s skipper claimed four catches, although he did blot his copybook with a drop in the slips off Simon Hare (2-25). Disley would have to be watchful in reply, but this wasn’t a bad wicket and only required players being fully committed to their attacking strokes.

Having commandeered Simon Hunter’s new bat, Al Brownsword strode out to open with another new partner in the form of Jake Reynolds and the pair laid a decent platform for the chase. The home side had to attack, and it left gaps into which the 1stXI could push runs whilst Al showed the lessons learned from the first innings with some booming drives to the boundary. Sadly, with the score on 28, Jake unleashed the right shot on the wrong wicket and top-edged a short ball from Bishop to the hands of fine leg, but it proved to be the home side’s only point of the day. It would have been easy for a wobble to ensue, but Disley batted maturely and the flowing Brownsword was joined by his skipper for a partnership that contained the right balance between blunting the opposition’s attack and taking full toll whenever runs were on offer. It wasn’t without a bit of fortune, but Brownsword dominated with a flurry of off-side boundaries that removed any slim hopes remaining for the hosts. Clarke also came out of his shell to deposit two pulled maximums over the leg-side, but it was Al who again led from the front as he reached fifty with another four through the covers on his way to an invaluable 63* not out. At 90-1 the pair should have seen the team through, but a lapse in concentration from the skipper saw him depart to leave Tim Baker the honours of squirting the winning runs to the third-man boundary on his return from holiday.

Al made full use of his rented piece of willow, piercing the field twelve times in his 82-ball stay for 63* and an order for a replica of Hunter’s bat will surely be imminent. He and Clarke added 62 for the second wicket, by some distance the highest partnership of the day as the home side’s morale dropped and the 1stXI powered to a rare 20-point win – their first since April 2008.

Next week Romiley come to the DASC for the reverse of week 2’s strange low-scoring encounter that remains the league leader’s only loss. No doubt they will have a chip on their shoulder and Disley will have to be on their guard in the midst of a run of fixtures that sees them play five of the top seven teams in Division 3. Should they emerge from that schedule still in the pack then back-to-back promotions could be a distinct possibility, but the 1stXI must build on performances like this as they look to follow their trend in recent seasons which is for improved performances in the second half of the season.

Play-Cricket Scorecard