Trafford Sport

Sale held by Timperley

1:38pm Wednesday 28th July 2010

Timperley 214 Sale 192-8

Match drawn

SALE’s six match winning run came to end at Timperley on Saturday when they only managed a 12 point draw after failing by 23 runs to overhaul the home side’s total of 214. Although technically a losing draw Sale emerged with 3 more points than Timperley who forfeited all three of their batting bonus points by continuing their innings into the 54th over.

Asked to bat first, the home side made a confident start with the openers putting on 51 off 13 overs until Aussie Herrick edged Mike Halkon to first slip. After Ashling had been caught at the wicket off Rick Halkon a third wicket stand of 48 in even time dominated by skipper Mike Bishop saw the home side comfortably to 110; at this point Rory Woodward, Sale’s highly promising 17 year-old, was rewarded for a fine bowling spell by dismissing both batsmen – lbw and bowled - in consecutive overs . Richard Leishman threw down the bowler’s wickets for a dramatic run out and Rick Halkon claimed a second wicket to reduce Timperley to 130 for 6 after 44 overs. The innings was transformed from this point, however, when Dave Howarth and James Rudd took the offensive in a stand of 59 off 6 overs, 23 of which came from a uniquely expensive over from Rick Halkon that included three sixes. Having reached 189 by the 50th over, and knowing that Sale would go for the runs whatever the target, the hosts decided to keep batting, adding another 25 runs but losing all their remaining wickets in doing so. Woodward took the opportunity to grab two more wickets, finishing with an excellent 4 for 34, and Mike Halkon took 3 for 45 off a marathon 14 overs.

Sale made the worst possible start to chasing 215 off 46 overs when Dan Halkon was caught at 2nd slip off the first ball. Ian Dixon and Keith Wellings slowly pulled Sale around but they struggled to score at more than 3 runs per over against the accurate attack of Chris Page and Matt Lucas. Dixon dominated the scoring with a number of fine boundaries but by the time the last 20 overs started the target rate had climbed to 7. Dixon was stumped for an excellent 66 going for his shots, and to their credit all the middle-order Sale batsmen hit out in the chase for runs but the task proved to be just too much for them despite the numerous catches that were put down by the Timperley outfielders along the way. By the time Mike and Rick Halkon had come to the wicket in the 42nd over a further 40 runs were needed off 4 overs so they reasonably played for a draw to secure another 2 points for their team.

With Marple winning Sale are now 13 points adrift of the leaders but Warrington are a distant 37 points in third position so Sale are still looking good for a promotion-winning position with 7 games to go.

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