With a weather forecast appearing to match that of the weekend prior, the 1s arrived at the ever-picturesque Parkgate expecting delays at some point during the game. However, they were hit with one straight away. Overnight rain had seeped under the covers, but only onto half of the pitch, leaving a typical Neston deck at one end, something akin to the silted up River Dee at the other. It would be an important toss to win, and Neston did, promptly choosing to bowl first. After a 75-minute delay to let the pitch dry out somewhat, thus reducing the match to 46 overs a side, we were underway. Tim carried on where he left off on Thursday, planting off-spinner Finlay Scullion for two bombs in consecutive overs. Although not impossible to score at the damp end, Tim and Haf aimed to attack at the good end to ensure a healthy scoring rate throughout. Despite the sun starting to come out to dry the pitch, the ball was really starting to pop off a length, often taking chunks out of the turf. So much so, at one point the umpires came together to discuss, but eventually allowed the game to continue.
Tim and Haf cantered along nicely, dealing with the damp spots well putting away the bad balls at the other end. By the 30th over, Dids were fantastically placed at 137-0 with 16 overs still to bat. Both soon fell in the same over to left-armer Luke Jones, Haf edging one to first slip after trying to reverse sweep it for 40, and Tim for a brilliant 83, skying it to point trying to hit Jones over cover. Dids used this setback as an opportunity to accelerate, and while wickets continued to fall, they scored at 7s, reaching 244-8 before Nick declared with an over to spare, allowing the 1s an extra over at the cabbage patch end.

Over the tea break, any cloud had long vanished along with any chance of a rain shower, and the strong wind helped dry out the pitch. Neston started really strongly, the ever-consistent David Hurst crashing away a few early boundaries. He was ably assisted by overseas Matty Maritz, who seemed to be dealing in boundaries too, at one point being on 42 with 9 fours. What Maritz added with his boundary hitting, he didn't add with his running, as at 97-0 after a really tight spell from Abhay and Nick (7-0-7-0 for Abhay at one point), they got into a mix-up seeing Hurst dismissed for 54, soon followed by overseas number 2 Bryce Jose also being run out for 1. Abhay then dismissed Matty Strong for 1 and Dids were right back in the game at 105-3.
However, joined by Zak Rogers, Maritz made full use of his power hitting, quickly shifting the initiative firmly back Neston's way, adding 75 runs in just 8 overs. It did come at a cost though, as three wickets fell in three overs, including the key wicket of Maritz one ball after he reached his hundred (although aided by a few dropped catches). Some big blows from Jones took the score to 216-6 after the 44th over, and Neston were perhaps sensing an opportunity to snatch the game. This came to an abrupt halt as a wicket apiece for Nick and Abhay meant that going into the final over, Neston were hanging on to a draw as Dids were looking for two wickets to win, with the skipper to bowl, every man around the bat. It brought back images of our famous win last year, and when Nick blew the number 9's pad off with 3 balls to spare it looked like we might clinch victory. But it wasn't quite to be, number 11 Stewart prodding forward at the last ball but not quite finding the edge. Dids ended with a creditable draw, as it became far more difficult to prize wickets as the pitch got flatter and flatter, and the 16 points picked up kept us 6 points ahead of Hyde in 1st place.

So, onto the National, and perennial rivals Nantwich arriving with speculation over whether Liam Livingstone was going to make only his second appearance in the competition since obliterating Caldy for 350. However, it was to be his former Lancs teammate Rob Jones who made his fourth appearance for Nantwich this year (incidentally already his second against Dids) instead. Playing one of the hybrids was a nice change, but losing the toss and being inserted by the Nantwich skipper was not. To their credit, Nantwich’s bowlers were up for it, bowled really tight lines and forced mistakes out of the Didsbury batters. A couple of nicks and some good catching later, and at the halfway point Dids were reeling at 77-6. Six soon became seven as Jones, who had copped a nasty blow on his shin earlier, snaffled at first slip a chance only a professional could make look so casual. Through this all however, Haf was still there, resisting the rampant Nantwich bowling line-up. He built partnerships with Bidwell Jr, Liam, and Will, but none would really last with the probing nature of the bowling, and he was left stranded, carrying his bat for 49* as Will picked out the midwicket fielder, all out for 145.
Dids needed a quick start, and they got it, the Horse nicking off their opener in the second over, Sam taking a fantastic diving catch in front of Rob. However, this brought Jones in and a clipped 4 first ball, followed by a square drive for 4 first ball from Chughtai, and the tone for the rest of the innings was set. No matter what Dids tried, they couldn’t prize a chance from the two, not entirely helped by every appeal met with a resolute not out from the Liverpool Comp umpires (11 catches in the match, all walked), and Nantwich coasted to their target and progression to the Round of 16.

All in all, a mixed bag this week, with the effects of playing 3 cup competitions in the space of two weeks perhaps starting to take effect, but the T20s against Cheadle and Heaton Mersey on Tuesday and Wednesday provide another opportunity to reset and go again.