Henrik has put the detail on two fantastic displays from the 1s, and I couldn’t have been happier to read it. Umpiring with Barbs on Saturday we both kept in touch with events at Dids – it’s interesting how other teams always call in the favours to put out the strongest possible side they can against us, and it’s the biggest of compliments that the quality of our cricket is recognised. The Urmston players I talked to were still trying to banish the memory of the T20 onslaught a week previous! It’s great that the 1s are held in high esteem around the county and not just for what they achieve but how they play.

Messages from Nick underlined how thrilled he was that the younger players particularly stood up and more than played their part in two big wins.

A word about the T20 last 16 draw – the 1s will be at home, likely Thurs 3rd, and play either Sale or North East Cheshire (both those sides play this coming Thursday). As for the league, the halfway point is reached next weekend with a trip to Widnes.

Speaking of which, the 2s also have a similar reputation and rightly so. Teams put out their strongest possible sides when the Dids fixture comes around and their trip to Widnes on Sat – always a tricky place to go – was no exception. Ryan’s reflections were as follows:

"A tough game in prospect after the home side decided to drop four players out the first team to find some much needed form including James McCoy and their Barbadian overseas Taushan Leacock."

"A good toss to win as the pitch was green but firm and the overhead conditions coupled with the humidity suggested the ball may dart around for a couple of hours. Seb removed McCoy for 0 third ball of the day which felt a big moment! All our seamers bowled very accurately finding good pace and carry as well as lateral movement through the air and off the pitch."

"Jonty Walliker bowled 13 overs consecutively and was very unlucky not to get more wickets having a genuine caught behind rejected on their number 6 which would have opened the floodgates and a potential score of around 130 would of been likely.
Widnes rallied and posted 176 but our fielding and bowling were excellent."

"A 50 opening partnership was good for the nerves and Evan carried onto 67! A big win looked likely but Widnes spun out 2 quick wickets in 2 balls to set the nerves jangling. However with only 28 required Adam stroked the ball for 4 a few times to kill all Widnes hopes, we were over the line by 5 wkts. A very professional job done against a team boasting some good players. Never easy to go there and win but we were the team in control throughout."

Nine wins out of 10 games now, which is superb stuff from the 2s – and they have T20 action next week on the 1st July, when they entertain Timperley 3s.

The 2As lost out after a long trip to a rain-affected Maritime on Thursday, but they gave it a real go against a pretty good side who have been in the promotion spots all season. Shabih making 51 (92 bs) in their 165-9 in 46 overs. A partnership of 78 for the 5th Maritime wkt effectively decided the game, as they won by 3 wkts. Rehmani’s men slipped down to sixth but are only three pts behind the two sides directly above them, hosting third-bottom Bramhall at Mere next Sat. As for their T20 prospects, it looks like the 2As will be away to either Alderley Edge or Timperley 2s whenever those two sides get their match played. Timpers away would of course be a repeat of last season…!

Sunday brough great frustration for the Womens 1s who were enjoying an unbroken 112 stand between the two Hannahs (Jones 52*, Marshall 42*) when rain washed out any more play against Edgeworth in their Thunder Cup clash. At 224-3 with some five overs remaining (64 extras in that total too, please note) the girls were obviously odds-on for a monster score and a win but sadly the abandonment looks to have put qualification out of their group beyond them.

The Wanderers and Knights had a friendly that came to a premature and soggy end but their were fantastic wins for the 4s and 5s, both by crunching 9 wkt margins. Noah Brown took 4-25 and Harry Shaw 3-25 as the 5s bowled out Georgians 4s for 100, keeper Harry Youell taking six catches and then whacking 64* off just 46 balls to ensure the rain didn’t have time to reach Mellor. What a performance from those younger players! The 5s a solid third in Div 2 and still within touching distance of the top two.

The 4s enjoyed themselves at home, Xavi and Isaac H three wkts each as visitors Bowdon were bowled out for 165. The blossoming James Coventry and Rohit Kuntal then made 69 apiece, JC finishing not out as the 130 the pair put on for the 1st wkt effectively settled matters. Three wins on the spin for the 4s now and up to third as well, a big game next Sunday for them as they travel to take on second place Bramhall.

Next Sunday will see the 3s in their eighth successive finals day (have I mentioned that before?) and, as luck would have it, their Sunday assignment was a dress-rehearsal of sorts for their semi-final fixture, as JB’s men travelled to Sale. Always a tricky challenge and with Sunday’s weather, DLS was in use to add to the usual tensions of playing the reigning champions. In the event, the 3s bossed it pretty much throughout, Harri A’s 4 wkts reducing Sale to 89-8 (one of which was Simon’s spectacular grab at slip in the photo) before they rallied after a weather interruption to reach 131.

More rain set the 3s 113 off 30, Sean and Nikash adding a helpful 51 for the 2nd, before another interruption brought the players off with Dids ahead on DLS and the required 16 overs having been bowled. The players did get back on and Dids needed 103 off 25, and although they got there with something to spare (Nikash a fine 50*) the moment of Simon being ‘mankaded’ was what much of the chat afterwards was about, understandably.

The running out of the non-striker (to give it its correct terminology in the laws) is a perfectly legal part of the game, and indeed one could argue that the way this particular law was re-written in 2022, it is something that is being positively encouraged by the lawmakers. But somehow it never feels quite right, without fail stirs up bad feeling (and occasionally worse), and leads to a cloud hanging over the rest of the game, and future fixtures too, which in recreational cricket is the last thing anybody needs. It creates a very awkward atmosphere for junior players involved too, another highly undesirable consequence, and can lead to friction amongst spectators.

I am pleased to report that Dids handled themselves with distinction on the day (as Simon said on the team chat, “grinners are winners”) and subsequent contacts between Sale and ourselves have been really positive, with a view to future fixtures (including Sunday) moving on from this unfortunate and unnecessary incident. Let’s hope that proves to be the case and that the 3s can keep this momentum going and make Sunday another day of celebration.