After another successful presentation night last Autumn, it’s clear to all of us just how much cricket is being played by so many Didsbury teams, and how many great achievements and results are occurring, but often with little or no obvious fanfare. So this season we wanted to try and provide a brief overview each week of how all our senior teams have got on, with a few words from the team captains. After the cancelled first week, we fared only marginally better in week 2 in terms of games played.

All our Sunday teams had to endure the frustration of grounds still being unfit – the 3s T20 game at Urmston was cancelled on Thursday! – so let’s hope for better fortune next Sunday when all our five mens teams start league campaigns (with T20 action scheduled for the BH Monday) and our womens third XI, after playing friendlies last season, are playing their first ever league game, making their Div 4 (East) bow v. Lindow, their scheduled match v Georgians today cancelled.

The 1s had their Sunday National League Group 8 K/O match v Stone cancelled so we await news of a new date for that, but as you may have read, their league campaign got underway on Saturday with a whopping win over Bowdon. Skipper Nick Anderson said afterwards “I thought it was a fantastic start to the season, and great to be back. Incredibly grateful to Barbs and the team for getting the ground into such good shape, and nice to see a real team batting performance to get us to 267. With the ball plenty of positives, good signs from debutants Will and Jonty, and the ever-reliable Steve and Boothy showing their quality. Lovely rhythm from James Green too so very happy with the bowling options. Great start!”

The 2s reverse fixture at Bowdon never had a chance, with information suggesting the ground was some way from being fit. However our 2As did get a game in at Mere, but on their return to Div 1 went down by 3 wkts to Heaton Mersey. Venerable Captain Rehmani told us “Mere was looking in better shape than many grounds. But no surprise Heaton Mersey chose to bowl first – our lack of match practice showed as we collapsed to 36-6 after 18 overs. Thankfully Saad Nawab held firm, making a fantastic 88* (146 balls), he and I adding 89 (the only two to get double figures). In the end 169 was a decent total on a tricky pitch. In return Heaton Mersey started well and keep taking singles and moving the scoreboard. At 99-5 they needed 71 runs in 18 overs – we then had them 130-7 at one stage but Ayaz Cheema took charge, a very experienced player, and he kept pushing for quick singles and doubles. We did not help ourselves in the field it must be said! But we will learn from this. I must say I was delighted with the debut of Owen Griffith Jnr in Saturday cricket - really amazing with a great spell of 13-1-39-3.”

Next w/e scheduled senior fixtures so far: Sat - 1s a) Chester BH; 2s h) Chester; 2As a) Bramhall.
Sun: 3s a) Brooklands; 4s h) Metrovicks; 5s h) Stockport; Wanderers a) H.Mersey; Knights a) Macc; Womens 3’s h) Lindow.