On Saturday Macclesfield travelled to Grappenhall, the team that were recently promoted to the Premier League alongside them.

This was always expected to be a hard-fought, competitive game and the results proved that with Macclesfield winning in the last over of the match by just four runs.

Macclesfield won the toss and batted first on a reasonably firm wicket with a green tinge.

As expected the ball moved around, both in the air and in particular off the surface, and with Emmett bowling an exacting line and length scoring was difficult.

He dismissed Hough in the third over and then Sawas who looked in good nick with a particularly good ball. Parfett and Barron showed little resistance and at 50-4 Macclesfield were up against it.

Ward came in to join Porter who had been quietly accumulating down the other end.

The pair worked hard and grafted displaying great temperament. Porter surpassed his half-century for the third straight innings, but was well caught at midwicket for 58 in his attempt to push up the scoring rate.

Melrose took his place and looked good from ball one building a crucial partnership with Ward who also went on to make a half-century.

Melrose was dismissed for a handy 30 and Macclesfield finished 195-8.

Ward finished with a fine 66 not out and Emmett with figures of 4-52 in his 21 overs.

Macclesfield began the defence of their total by dropping McCoy in the slips on 10 and he capitalised by reaching his half-century in quick time, dispatching the ball to all parts.

Macclesfield took their first wicket with the score on 80 when Green was well taken at second slip by Tait for nine off the bowling of Melrose. Grappenhall continued to play in the same manner and at 120-1 Macclesfield had their work cut out to get back into the game.

The introduction of Barron to the attack was the beginning of the Macclesfield fightback. He took three quick wickets taking the score to

140-4 before succumbing to an injury.

Porter then began making inroads at the other end, including taking the decisive wicket of McCoy for 95 and a crucial run out off his own bowling.

Grappenhall were left needing 20 runs off eight overs with two wickets left.

With Porter and Cutbill bowling well the runs came slowly and they needed five from the last over to win, Macclesfield requiring two wickets.

Porter had Burns given out LBW in the first ball, before finishing off and completing a four-wicket haul by bowling the number 11 batsman.

It was a good performance by all the bowlers to collect 23 points from the match.