Porter picks up five wickets in Toft win

MACCLESFIELD 1st XI made the short trip to Knutsford to take on neighbours Toft, who at the start of play were second in the league. Captain Jack Massey won the toss and asked the hosts to bat.

- SIMON GRIFFITHS

There was an early breakthrough with 5 runs on the board when Brad Porter enticed Henry Murray to edge to slip, where Khalid Sawas took a sharp catch.

Porter had a second wicket two overs later when Tom Lord powerfully pulled a ball, only to be very well caught by Bradshaw running round from deep fine leg. Toft were now 26-2 off 5 overs.

The batsmen were keeping a steady scoring rate, above five runs an over, as Scott Craig and Rohan Fernando punished anything loose. Massey changed his bowlers by bringing on John Birchall and Fin Nash.

The pair gradually gained some control, but the batsmen had added 49 for the third wicket when Birchall had Craig caught by his skipper for 39.

Macclesfield did not help themselves by dropping a couple of catches but 75-3 off 21 overs was an improvement for Macc.