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| > Staffordshire CCC Development XI |
Staffordshire Development XI recovered from a precarious score of 100 for seven to post a respectable 203 for nine from their 50 overs in their one day fixture against Warwickshire under 19’s. Tim Maxfield, playing on his home Walsall ground, held the Staffs youngsters’ innings together, hitting a top score of 61 before becoming the eighth wicket to fall with the score on 148 for eight in the 41st over. A ninth wicket partnership between Stone’s Russ Ballard and Alex Mellor of Leek added a further 55 before Mellor was run out off the final ball of the innings for a fine 34. Captain for the day Ballard finished unbeaten on 27 while his former club colleague Joe Leach, now playing for Shrewsbury, had earlier contributed 22.
The last two wickets contributed 102 valuable runs after a series of injudicious shots from the Staffs second string had gifted their Warwickshire opponents a number of wickets.
Longton’s Dan Cumming struck an early blow in his first over and then reduced Warwickshire to 22 for two when his throw enabled wicket keeper Alex Mellor complete the run out. Staffs contributed to the Warwickshire scoring rate with a number of wide deliveries, but interspersed these wayward balls with some fine wicket taking deliveries. Cumming claimed a further two successes which were split by a wicket for Sandyford’s Andy Barnett, to reduce Warwickshire to 48 for five.
Ben McGuire joined the list of wicket takers as the first class county were put on the back foot at 77 for six. A seventh wicket partnership held up Staffs victory push before Ballard broke the stand aided by a catch from wicket keeper Alex Mellor, the seventh wicket going down on 112.
With rain threatening Liam Hughes picked up a deserved success to leave Warks struggling on 135 for eight but with just a further three runs scored the game came to an abrupt end to leave Staffs winners on run rate. For Warwickshire Ali Anwan top scored with an unbeaten 37.
Dan Cumming was the pick of the Staffs attack finishing with three for 29. Andy Barnett had figures of one for 21, Ben McGuire one for 16, Jordon Weaver none for 29, Russ Ballard one for 20 and Liam Hughes one for 17.
Rain also intervened in the Staffs youngsters second fixture of the week against their Cheshire counterparts. Chasing a victory target of 257, Staffs were well poised to mount a successful victory chase when the match was abandoned with Staffs needing a further 63 with six wickets in hand and nine overs remaining.
Alsager professional Oliver Sadler top scored with 63 in the Cheshire Development XI’s 256 for six from their 50 overs. Dave Edwards and Andy Barnett both claimed two wickets with one each for Dan Colclough and Russ Ballard.
Opener Richard Holloway struck nine boundaries in his 71 and the Audley batsman received good support from Little Stoke’s Dan Hancock who also found the boundary on nine occasions in his 50. There were also useful contributions from Milford Hall’s Aaron Jeavons, Hem Heath’s John Seabridge while Tim Maxfield was 18 not out and Alex Mellor 10 not out when the game ended with Staffs on 194 for four.
Sadler was the pick of the Cheshire attack finishing with two for 24 from his five overs
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