By Lloyd Sykes – WCC Secretary
Having met once already this season in T20 action which saw Peover run out comfortable winners, The Squirrels were keen to make amends in the first league encounter of the season at Rectory Fields.
Losing the toss, new look opening pair of Dan Braddock and Lloyd Sykes made their way out to the middle having been asked to bat. It was almost the perfect start for Peover with skipper Max Nightingale finding the edge of Sykes instantly but a tough chance put down in the slips. After a tough couple of overs, Braddock and Sykes both started to settle in with Braddock hitting some early boundaries and looking very comfortable. Sykes also began to settle and with 12 overs gone the 50 partnership was brought up, Braddock (27) and Sykes (21) and 3 extras. Braddock found himself unfortunate to depart, adding just one more run to his total, being bowled by opening bowler Aiden Anthony. Sykes fell shortly after also for 28, but a promising start for the Squirrels. With both openers now gone, Elliot Rowe and Panneer Ganesh continued to build on the openers’ good work, with Ganesh regularly finding the boundary, whilst Rowe nudged the ball nicely around, looking very comfortable at the crease.
The pair’s 50 partnership was brought up in the 35th over, and with a solid platform in place, and plenty of batsman in the shed, Ganesh began to attack the Peover bowlers more, including a huge 6. He would however fall agonisingly short of a maiden 50 for the club, being caught in the deep for a fantastic 48. Rowe, also trying to push the score on, also found himself on his way, also caught out for 24 going for a big shot. The stage was then set for the destructive pair of Adam Dixon and Steve Fulker to have some fun and add some quick runs, which is exactly what they did! Fulker smashed his way to a quick fire 34 off just 18 deliveries, including 22 off one over, whilst Dixon hit 17 off just 7 deliveries. Ever reliable Jegs also added a quick-fire 13, finishing unbeaten alongside Warner as Wilmslow finished their 45 over 205/6. An impressive total when you consider no batsman made it past 50.
Despite a big total it was important that the Squirrels got off to a good start. Jayam Patel and Jake Woodhouse opened the bowling and bowled with pace regularly troubling the opening batsman. With the score on just 15, Woodhouse made the breakthrough dismissing the very dangerous Aiden Anthony for just 1. The next over, Patel dismissed the number 3 bat for a duck leaving Peover 16-2. With just 8 more runs added, Woodhouse picked up his 2nd wicket after a fine catch from skipper Braddock. With the fall of quick 3 wickets, it brought Peover Skipper Max Nightingale and Nilesh Suryavanshi to the crease and both looked to attack. Some positive strokes and a flurry of boundaries, the score moved onto 59 with both batsmen looking comfortable against pace. With this in mind, and rain in the air, Braddock turned to off spinner Lloyd Sykes. Sykes had an instant impact removing Nightingale, LBW, for a well made 15. Just one ball later, another wicket had fallen. After a fantastic piece of ground fielding from Rowe, and a mix up between the batsman, Dave Owen was on his way back to the pavilion, run out for a golden duck.
There was more to come, as Sykes dismissed Suryavanshi thanks to an extremely sharp stumping by Braddock. With the score now 60-6, G was also introduced into the attack, and he too joined in the fun, picking up his first wicket of the day (LBW). Just an over later Sykes picked up his 3rd wicket of the day, with a catch off his bowling. The visitors innings was then wrapped up by G who took his LBW tally for the game to 3, dismissing the final 2 batsmen quickly meaning Peover were bowled out for 76 with G finishing with extraordinary figures of 3-2 off 6.2 overs. Sykes finished with 3-18 off 7, Woodhouse 2-26 off 6, and Patel 1-24 off 6. A fantastic all round performance and a well deserved 15 points, moving the Squirrels unto 4th Place. Next week the 1st XI travel to 5th placed Bunbury as they look to continue their good form.
