1st down to fourth after home defeat

1ST XI VS URMSTON

- SIMON GRIFFITHS

Macclesfield First XI welcomed Urmston to Victoria Road for week 12 of the season, now over halfway through the fixtures.

Home skipper Jack Massey won the toss and elected to bat.

This initially proved to be a good decision as openers Leo Burns and Andrew Poppa went off at a pace and had posted an unbeaten 32 by the sixth over.

However, rain caused a delay of 30 minutes, and this seemed to sap the Macclesfield momentum as the run rate gradually decreased. Certainly, the outfield had slowed and shots that may have gone for a boundary were retrieved.

Leo Burns, who had looked very composed, was the first wicket to fall when he was bowled by Nawab for 24 runs.

44-1 in the 11th over became 65-2 in the 19th when Poppa was bowled, again by Nawab, for 24.

The game fell into a pattern as each time Macclesfield tried to rebuild, a wicket would fall. Khalid Sawas (1) and Jack Massey (12) fell in quick succession, both to James Bashford.