1stXI vs Pott Shrigley (T20 Cup)
After an aborted first game in which they appeared to be dominating, Disley felt justice was done at the second time of asking as they made heavy weather of beating Pott Shrigley and setting up a T20 Quarter-Final with Langley. This wasn’t the run-fest of Prestbury though and a nervy finish saw the 1stXI scrape past the visitors’ first-innings tally of 116-8 with two wickets to spare.
After electing to bat, the Hillmen instantly found shotmaking tough – particularly against Jake Reynolds who quickly bowled opener Beard for a duck and reeled off his four overs for just nine runs, adding a top edge through to Will Ritchie for good measure.
Ed Clark also bowled tightly to return 2-16 and the second innings would have been a formality were it not for an enterprising knock from Ryan Fitter. He carried the lower order with some strong hitting and only fell to Xan Wood at the death of the innings having made a fine 48.
Pott’s 116-8 presented a tricky challenge, even more so when four of Disley’s top five returned to the pavilion with single-figures to their name. The one exception was Andrew Clarke who rode his luck and made sure the bad balls were punished, including a mauling of seamer Adam Davis whose two overs were clubbed for 27 runs.
Spinner Matt Jackson looked to have struck a crucial blow in his final over when he dismissed Clarke (48) and Stewart Reynolds in quick succession, but Madusha Wettasinghe cleared the ropes twice on his was to a quickfire 20 and any remaining nerves were calmed by Toby Carson.
With three overs left and seven runs required the 1stXI had plenty of time at their disposal but, at eight wickets down, could also realistically have been bowled out. The safety of tip and run looked the obvious route to victory, but Carson had other ideas – carving Beard for six and then smearing the winning runs through the covers to finish 11* not out.
After the previous week’s effort to complete this game had been abandoned in the second innings with the 1stXI in the box seat, this was a welcome result and continues a cup run that has been valuable in keeping players in form when the league campaign has been beset with bad weather.
The DASC now hosts an encounter between the 1stXI and Langley to decide which team will represent Division 3 in the Semi-Finals. Fingers crossed for better weather and cricket deciding the outcome rather than a bowl-out or coin toss.
