Cricket: County ready for final showdown

Sep 3 2009 Chester Chronicle

CHESHIRE face a massive week as they go for glory in the Minor Counties Championship.

The Western Division champions face Buckinghamshire, the Eastern Division winners, in this year’s Championship final in a four-day match, starting this Sunday.

In the lead-up to the big showdown, skipper Andy Hall has heaped praise on pace ace Adam Syddall.

The Bowdon bowler inspired his county to win this year’s Western Division title, returning championship-best figures of 8-83 from 23.4 overs of superb bowling as Cheshire beat Shropshire by five wickets at Whitchurch.

Hall said: “Syds [Syddall] bowled really well, it was a great effort from him.

“There’s no doubt that spell swung the game for us. It was a great effort because we all felt that the pitch was good – and the scores both teams made didn’t do justice to how good the wicket was.

“But Adam has been brilliant for us all season. He bowled well at the end of the second day and then took wickets when we needed them on the last day.”

Syddall’s inspired spell left Cheshire needing 199 for victory on the third and final day – and Hall’s men reached their target in 45.3 overs.

Added to his 2-52 return from Shropshire’s first innings, Syddall finished with commendable match figures of 10-135 from 35.4 overs.