Having soundly beaten Macclesfield last week, Didsbury had a tough test ahead against relegated Lindow, who had comfortably won their first three games of the season, including racking up 420 in their last game.

The team requested an Agenda to help turn up on time and do a warm-up properly, something we haven’t done successfully all season so far. Only a few lads were late in the end and we managed to get the ground set up with plenty of time to spare.

The Mere deck looked the best it’s ever looked since I’ve started playing there. You could actually make out where it was as soon as you turned up to the ground - surely a bat first.

Rehmani was two wins at the toss out of three, so it was probably inevitable that we were going to lose and be put into field. Aaron and Reh open up again after their heroics last week, and start well. Just 14 runs off the first 5 overs.

The pair then start to tee off, taking 20 from the next 2 overs, before Sunil Jonty Rhodes pulls out an incredible one-handed diving catch off Aaron to dismiss Herriott, the lad who scored 180 odd last week. Should’ve been double fantasy points for that.

Sunil joins the attack and Rehmani switches ends, and the rate is brought back under control to around 4 an over. The changes of end work for the skipper, who knicks the other centurion from last week (Park) to Bells at slip. A good start from Dids with all things considered.

Spin comes into the attack just before drinks, with Shish creating a good run-out chance, not taken in the end. Lindow’s captain James, who played cautiously up until now, then starts teeing off, making a chance-less 67, and he was well backed up by Mahmood (47), who even makes Sean Reilly look like a 360-degree classical batsman.

Lindow continued to build partnerships throughout the innings and was on for 250+ with 20 overs to go. Basseem’s impressive spell of 1-27 off 12 overs tied up an end while Rehmani tried things from the other end. Bells came into the attack in the 43rd over (tough gig), taking 2 wickets from his shorter run-up, and bowled well despite a big last over.

We managed to restrict Lindow to 231 at the halfway point which we were pretty happy with. It’s probably par for how the deck played and how quick the outfield was. Lots of value for beating the infield. This is definitely not foreshadowing..

Didsbury has struggled with the bat so far this season, and hadn’t reached 200 as a team yet, but a confident batting performance (albeit short) last week at Macc hopefully boosted confidence. Beresford and Shabih opening up again.

Lindow started off with 3 maidens on the spin as the pair struggled to beat the fielders, specially just mid off and cover. The openers put on 39 before, with the pressure building, Beresford calls a run after Shabih gets hit in the glove, and stays in his crease injured. Beresford continues to run for some reason. Great day for a barbecue!

Shabih then falls the very next ball to leave Dids 39-2 and with all that hard work wasted in one over. Reilly falls cheaply shortly after, and Sunil is caught trying to hit the leather off the ball, leaving us 56-4. A mountain to climb now.

Unlike Lindow, Didsbury lost wickets in clusters and made a lot of starts with no one kicking on. Goldstone, Zohaib and Basseem then fall with the score still under 100. Shish (26) and Rehmani (28) save our blushes, putting on 47 for the 8th wicket, before both fell shortly after another. Shish particularly batted well for his first Dids innings.

Didsbury were bowled out for 162, at least 50 under par. While Lindow bowled well, there were a lot of cheap dismissals which is what cost us dearly. The batting needs to improve if we are to show the same form as last year.

The fielding was much improved this week, and Basseem bowled very well, but those were the only positives to take from the game. Lindow will be favourites to go up.

Big game next week away to recently promoted side, Upton, who scrapped past Grappenhall on the weekend, but currently sit second in the league.