Bones blow takes game from Macc

MACC Second XI entertained Marple who batted first after skipper Adam Longshaw won the toss and decided to field.

- JON CURWEN

Opening bowlers Ben Farmer and Ben Curwen troubled the batsmen in the first few overs with two confident lbw appeals turned down and several edges going just wide of the slips.

Slowly though, as the initially cloudy conditions gave way to full sun, things became easier and openers Barrow and Bailey began to bat far more confidently, increasingly finding the boundary with authentic shots.

After 12 overs Marple had reached 45-0 and skipper Longshaw changed the bowling introducing left-armer seamer Austin Ventre and spinner Chris Beckley.

After an initial flurry of runs, the game settled into a case of gradual accumulation by the Marple batsmen with Macc imposing just enough control to stop the run rate from becoming problematic. Marple established a century stand and then eventually the 150-run stand with both batsmen passing 50 on the way.