Scragg Back With a Bang for 2nd and 4thXI

The two month point of the season arrived over the weekend and was marked with some fine performances across the senior sides. Some of the best cricket of the weekend was played by the 1stXI, which made it all the more remarkable when they collapsed to self-inflicted defeat. The rest of the senior sides did the business though to keep up the momentum in a positive season to date across the whole club, Sam Scragg returning to action and making up for lost time - his dual fifties the individual highlight. 

Ashley v 1stXI

The 1stXI suffered a nightmare at Ashley as they saw a seemingly impenetrable position turn into an unlikely defeat. Having dominated 80 overs of cricket, the Jets were perfectly placed at 123-1 chasing down the hosts first-innings 196-9. 10 minutes of madness saw six wickets fall in five overs though, Imran Butt twice finding himself on a hat-trick thanks to some dubious shot selection, and just like that a very different game unfolded.

It left Andrew Clarke as the set batsman but with no margin for error. But even when he holed out in the deep for a valiant 75 (7x4, 1x6, 137b) there was little excuse for failing to salvage a draw. But the Jets were caught in a maelstrom of self-harm, and it was fitting that the final wicket would be a strangle down the leg side to end a passage of play where the 1stXI contrived to beat themselves and offer a boost to the chasing pack in Division 3.

It wasted not only an excellent platform with the bat but also a disciplined bowling performance on a flat wicket. The ground fielding was particularly impressive as the attack put in some hard yards against a talented batting lineup that typically scores well in excess of 200. No home batters went on to a significant score, Manning Berry (2-42) hurrying two into playing on and Jamie Henderson (3-41) bowling well at the death, but what should have been a key component of victory was rendered a footnote after the second innings.

2ndXI v Europa Exiles

Another week and another maximum-point victory for the 2ndXI as they seek to consolidate top spot in Division B East. The formula that has served them so well to date was again executed to perfection, runs on the board followed by stifling bowling. The twos did blot their copy book with some dubious running, Reuben Cutts and Sam Scragg run out for 0 and 50 respectively, but Matt Mullany carried his bat for an energetic 54* to help set 180-6.

The Exiles reply then went nowhere in response, crawling to 30-3 from the opening 20 overs. With the result not in question, the challenge for the Jets became to take all ten wickets and they achieved that with thirteen deliveries to spare. Stand-in skipper Jimmy Williams (5-18) led by example with another five-wicket haul, supported by Adam Burgess (3-21) and Sam Turnbull (2-17) as a more watchable second half to the innings saw the visitors all out for 70.

3rdXI v Lindow

The 3rdXI returned to winning ways by toppling a strong Lindow side who had beaten the Jets by an agonising 8 runs in their previous encounter. This proved to be a more low-scoring affair after Sam Westerby struck in his opening over. Manusha Wettasinghe (3-25) then delivered the key scalp of visiting skipper Ateeb Mehmood, the league's leading runscorer, and Owen Johnson (3-28) took out the rest of the middle order to help contain Lindow to 145-8 from their allocation.

Having lost some experienced heads to new father duties this season, the remaining seniors in the threes did the job in an order that mixed and matched youth and experience. Skipper Welsby continued his newfound role as attacking opener with a brisk 31, backed up by Lyell Tweed’s 38 as they took the side towards three figures. John Westerby (42*) did the rest with another red inker to take the threes up to second but lagging well behind leaders Mellor.

4thXI v Ashley

The 4thXI took a small measure of revenge over Ashley by comfortably besting them on Sunday at London Road as the Jets continue to trade wins with Didsbury at the top of the division. The sides will wait until the end of June to lock horns and the job in the meantime for the fours is to do as they did here, bowling Ashley out for 134 well inside their allocated overs, a total which was knocked off with minimal fuss.

Star of the show was again Sam Scragg, playing in his second home game of the weekend. Having compiled a solid fifty on the same deck the day before he repeated the trick again to dominate the chase. An unbroken stand with Rob Bowden delivered a 7-wicket win with plenty of time to spare and maintain a record only damaged by last week’s abandonment