The firsts continued an encouraging run of league form by adding their second win of the season against title holders Moorlands. A result that suggests this team can compete well in the Premiership. The seconds also gained their second win of the season with an excellent display at home to an Armitage Bridge side, bristling with experience and younger talent. Here’s how our twelve point Saturday went down.
First hold their nerve as all-round team performance scuppers the Champions.
A tweaked batting order by the skipper delivers a memorable victory as we more-or-less bat the innings out. Starting with a slightly altered batting line-up, skipper Nathan Jones switched places with wicketkeeper Muhammad Ali, who opened alongside Stevel Rodney. Once again, Rodney delivered with a valuable knock of 47 runs. A solid 2nd wicket partnership with Ussair Shah laid the foundation for the innings. Despite Nathan Jones, who helped provide impetus, departing for 26, Isaac Davis continued his impressive form with a crucial 25. Even the tail-enders played their part, with Braeden O'Donnell and "The Wolf" contributing valuable runs before Delph eventually reached 160 with five balls to spare.
The bowling attack started brightly, claiming the crucial second-over wicket of Moorlands' dangerous opener, Marcus Walmsley. Delph kept the pressure on, dismantling their top order to leave them reeling at 71-6. Moorlands' captain, Eddie Walmsley, provided stubborn resistance, proving to be the key figure in the chase. The game appeared to be tilting towards the visitors when Walmsley and Chavez Younes (25) put on a 54-run partnership. However, a sharp stumping by Muhammad Ali sent Younes back to the pavilion, sparking a pivotal moment in the match.
Walmsley continued to dig deep, but Delph kept chipping away at the wickets, inching closer to victory. A crucial moment came when Moorlands attempted a risky run, only to see Stevel Rodney produce a brilliant fielding effort to run out Walmsley’s partner, Andrew Brown. With the final wicket remaining, Nayyar Abbas completed the victory by holding onto a catch to dismiss final man Zain Ul Abdin, leaving Walmsley stranded on 45 as we nipped home by just five runs.
The bowling honours were shared with Nathan Jones leading the effort with three wickets for 27 runs, while Nayyar Abbas, Wasim Qasim, and Stevel Rodney all picked up two wickets each. A fantastic team performance by a team that’s learning fast, with contributions from all areas securing a dramatic and ultimately well-deserved victory.
Danny’s 2nd XI come of age in battle against the strugglers.
Delph's second team looked to secure their second win of the season as they welcomed winless Armitage Bridge to HQ.
Callum Sykes Quarmby got things rolling with an excellent opening spell, disrupting the visitors' promising start. Jack Hague, in a rare bowling foray, picked up the key wickets of experienced batsmen Paul Hamer (39) and Andy Gledhill (18), keeping the pressure on Bridge.
Danny Jones, Jimmy Hopwood-Kenworthy, and George Partington all chipped in with wickets, ensuring the Bridge batters were never comfortable. Sykes Quarmby finished with impressive figures of 3-32 from his 12 overs, and Richard Simpson polished off the innings with a quickfire double-wicket haul in five balls, restricting Bridge to a competitive 147 all out.
The Delph chase began pleasingly maturely, with Hague (29) and Simpson (38) putting on a solid 52-run opening partnership. However, a wobble saw them lose three wickets for just 9 runs, threatening to derail their momentum. Fortunately, Max Leaver stepped up with a crucial 38 in the middle order, providing much-needed stability and continuing his impressive batting form. Skipper Danny Jones, who remained unbeaten on 19, guided a relatively fragile tail to safety, securing a vital victory for Delph. Despite a late fightback from Bridge, Delph chased down the target with four wickets to spare, finishing on 152-6.
