It's been a mixed week for Alderley Edge Cricket Club as they played matches in three separate competitions.
Edge made good progress in two cup competitions – including the county trophy they won 10 months ago – but they also lost their unbeaten record in the Cheshire County Premier League.
Edge set out to defend the Cheshire Cup last Sunday as holders, following a memorable victory last September in the 2009 final against Elworth when they were victorious for the first time in 32 years.
Hosting the match at Moss Lane, Edge batted first against Grappenhall and it was their two big run-scorers of the season, Mark Currie and Richard Wilkinson, that poured on the runs again for Edge.
A fantastic 113 from Currie, and a superb 90 not out from Wilkinson left Edge with a more than useful 257-4 from 45 overs.
After Grappenhall’s danger man, opening batsman James McCoy, was out for a blazing 46 off 35 balls, Edge’s main problem appeared to be the weather.
However, after a considerable delay in mid-afternoon, Alderley were able to complete a relatively straight-forward victory by 83 runs to make a confident start to the defence of their cup.
Last Thursday Edge had a fine victory at home over Hyde in the Twenty20 Cheshire County League knock-out.
Hyde and Alderley Edge have probably the best records in the Twenty20 format over the five years the competition has existed in its current format.
Therefore, it should be no surprise that it was a tight game that was eventually won by Edge by nine runs, due to conceding fewer extras through more disciplined bowling.
Ethan Harding’s leg-spin was the feature of the evening with 2-13 off four overs at a crucial stage of the game.
It was a big disappointment then that Edge lost their unbeaten record in all competitions when they once again faced Hyde, just two days later in the league.
Alderley’s normally strong batting line-up failed to fire, and they were beaten by a large 140-run margin.
Edge lie in third place in the Premier League with two matches to go before they reach the half-way point of the season, the first of those two matches being at home to Didsbury on Saturday.
