A chance to catch up with the senior sides as the season rapidly draws towards its conclusion. Both our senior 1s sides have suffered a downturn in form and fortunes but all is not lost – and two of our teams are also in contention for hours.

Womens
Tough times for Rosh’s team as a run of poor form has come at a crunch time – the 1s lost out to Chester BH in the T20 championship and finished third as a result, and on Sunday they were well beaten by a dominant Georgians team in the T20 Knockout Final. Div 1 leaders Lindow overpowered them in their recent league clash and although the 1s remain in second spot in the table, they’ve played two games more than Lindow and three more than Georgians (who are third). The 1s have two league games in September to round off their season.

Abby Nicholson hit a fabulous 91 (110 bs) for the 2s against Greenfield on Sun, her and Kate Chapman (55 off 84) putting on 145 for the 1st wkt as the 2s ran out comfortable winners by 106 runs. Hayfield are miles ahead at the top of Div 2 but Dids are a respectable third.

The 3s compete in two leagues; Div 5 East is played with ‘net scores’ and with the 3s programme concluded, they finished third in the 5-team league. In Div 4 east, after playing out a nerve-jangling tie with Brooklands (who are top), the 3s have two games remaining and could yet still finish top.

Mens – 1st XI
Most will be aware that the 1s are on their worst ‘streak’ since Covid - three successive league defeats have left Nick’s side no longer in control of their own destiny and the chances of retaining the Prem title have lengthened considerably. Despite missing key players, there have been few issues with the bat – totals of 312, 348 and 298 all represent excellent efforts – but the bowling and fielding is where the problems have been. Losing to Cheadle by 20 runs having conceded 37 extras is an obvious example.

However, with any of the top five teams in with a chance of winning the Prem, there’s still hope – this coming Saturday, for example, I can confidently state that, weather permitting, two of the top five will lose (as first play fifth, and second play fourth), and if the 1s can effectively address the issues with the ball at Oxton, the table could well have a very different complexion. And the fact that 1s have had the results they have, and yet remain just 14 pts off the top, is testament to yet another strong season in the league, their sixth such in a row. So still plenty to take pride in and be hopeful about.

2nd XI
Having also lost three in a row back in July, the 2s have had a brighter August, but Saturday’s narrow loss at Widnes trimmed their lead at the top of the Prem to 8 pts, so it will be a tense finale with games against Nantwich, Timperley and Cheadle deciding the 2s fate. But having it in your own hands at this stage of the season is all you can reasonably ask for, and Ryans’s side will be only too keen to make it four titles in a row come September 13.

2As
Another tale of three in a row, although in the case of the 2As, it’s three straight wins that sees Rehmani’s charges sit proudly in seventh, with nine pts guaranteeing their Div 1 status for 2027, but depending on results that could be confirmed on Saturday. The wins have been done the hard way, mark you – by 1 wkt, 2 runs and then most recently by 12 runs at high flying Georgians, Jack Airey making a brilliant 108 leading the side, adding a wonderful 162 for the 2nd with the tireless Ibrahiam (who has just completed his 80th match of the season!) making an accomplished 83. Some brilliant results for which the whole team deserve every credit.

3s
Here’s where the run of threes ends – five, yes five successive, crunching, splendid wins have seen JB’s men surge to the top of the Sunday Prem, although the eminence grise himself hasn’t actually played since Nantwich on Aug 2nd – holidaying all over the world as he does, JB has had to send his orders remotely and leave things in the culpable hands of Corbs and Mash, both of whom have risen to the occasion. A fabulous display to knock off the 172 set by Hyde on Sunday summed up the confidence of the side, and when news came through that title rivals Georgians had lost, it really was a perfect day. Two games remain and two wins will do it – one might, depending how others go on, but let’s take nothing for granted.

4s
A dramatic four run win over Heaton Mersey on Sunday meant that the 4s brought a run of – you guessed – three successive defeats to an end, and sit a highly commendable fourth in the Div 1 table. Matters are already decided at the very top, so it’s pride to play for in their remaining two matches, but with Bramhall (sixth, three pts behind us) and Metrovicks (third, five pts ahead of us) the opposition, both should be interesting matches.

5s
Simon’s side have done terrifically well to sit second in Div 2, the skipper himself bowling a great death over on Sunday as Woodley, who needed 7 off the last with two wkts in hand, were restricted to six. So the teams tied, a result where both teams will feel aggrieved they didn’t win but delighted they didn’t lose, and the upshot is that leaders Bredbury need two pts from their final game to secure the divisional title, which they can’t really fail to achieve, but the 5s will finish in that second spot which is a superb achievement.

Wanderers and Knights
The Wanderers sit fourth in Div 3 East, and with three teams having bossed the Division this season, it’s another highly creditable effort from Chris’s side. They face Sale and Hyde in their remaining matches. The Knights got a right pasting on Sunday and have had to concede a fixture, but they’ve also won a couple in August which lifted them off the foot of Div 4. With two games to play, let’s hope they can stay off the bottom.