On a ferociously hot day Timperley travelled to Middlewich in high hopes following last weeks win against Appleton. The temperature screamed 'bat first' but on winning the toss, Middlewich elected to field which surprised all on hearing the news. With the strip on one edge of the square providing a short boundary on one side it was thought likely this would come into play a lot and provide a high score.

That was the theory. Anyway, the Middlewich bowlers did not read the script and bowled good lines from both ends which meant the short line did not have much of an influence throughout the Timperley innings. Padidela was out first, mistiming a hook shot that ballooned to square leg to make it 2 for 1. Coad joined Hodgson and put on 24 for the 2nd wicket before Coad was bowled playing back to a ball that kept low. This was unfortunate as he had looked in good order to that point. Debutante Bryce-Kisby soon followed Coad back to the shed having been bowled by Angell for 4 to make it 39 for 3.

Adavelly and Hodgson then served up the principal partnership of the innings putting on 56 to take it to 93 for 4 before Hodgson was out for 31 having been caught. The lad had played well in very trying conditions. Fisher joined Adavelly and both looked to pick up the pace of the innings the best they could but the Middlewich bowlers did not grant many favours and it was hard going. Adavelly was starting to look more fluent but was then stumped for a top scoring 36 by a smart piece of work by Bates off Perry who was bowling at a reasonable lick. 116 for 5. Maddocks (9) came in and looked to get on with it but mistimed a drive to spoon to mid off and then Vaughan-Hawkins (2) somehow managed to smack a long hop to cover and it was 135 for 7. McIlroy was then very smartly stumped down the leg side off Davies and it became the remaining batters mission to try and play out 40 overs. They did this, reaching 158 for 9. Fisher 32 not out, Goodson 3 not out. Davies, with 3 for 25 off 8 was the best Middlewich bowler.

The less said about Middlewich's innings the better. Despite a sterling effort from Maddocks with an 8 over (3 maidens) spell only going for 19, none of the other bowlers could settle to task and bowl in partnership. Bates (110*) and Cummings (39*) played patient knocks and just pounced on anything loose to close out a very comfortable 10 wicket win in 27.1 overs.

A bad day at the office for the Timperley lads. We will just have to try and be better next week when Lymm visit Timperley.