THE Groves’ sensational start to the Cheshire Alliance Division One season continued on Saturday when they easily beat Stalybridge St Paul’s to make it six wins on the bounce.
The five-wicket victory leaves Mike Garvey’s men eight points clear at the summit and in confident mood on the eve of this Saturday’s top-of-the-table clash at second-placed Chelford.
Having seen their derby with Frodsham fall victim to the weather a week earlier, The Groves tore into their mid-table visitors with gusto.
With captain Garvey (3-12) producing a devastating opening spell, Stalybridge were reeling at 44-4 before they regained their composure to post a respectable 132.
Jonathan Ball (3-20), Damian Walters (2-23), Robert Jones (1-25) and Steven Aldcroft (1-29) shared the rest of the wickets for The Groves, who made it to 134-5 thanks to the inspirational Garvey (50) and Darren Green (26no).
ELLESMERE PORT had to settle for a frustrating draw at Knutsford on Saturday.
The Dunkirk Lane outfit are one of the most in-form sides in Division Two and they looked set for a third triumph on the trot when skipper Gareth Boys (70no) and Chris Gatrell (59) fired them to a daunting 260-8.
That was always going to be too tall an order for Knutsford, but they managed to salvage a share of the spoils as they held out on 112-8.
Ellesmere Port host Heaton Mersey Village on Saturday.
ELLESMERE PORT 2nds and THE GROVES 2nds tasted Division Three defeats on Saturday.
Port went down by three wickets at home to Rostherne, who successfully chased down 217 (Neil Percival 79) when reaching 218-7.
The Groves, meanwhile, suffered a beating by table-topping Eastham & Bromborough Pool, who flayed 236-7dec (Ryan Edmond 2-23, Thomas Garratt 2-23) and then stopped their visitors 143 runs short on 93 (Jack Finlay 31).
NESTON moved 34 points clear at the top of the Cheshire County League Premier Division on Saturday by earning a winning draw from their big clash at Alderley Edge, who got as far as 225-8 (Chris Finegan 4-87) in reply to 253-5dec (Jack Smith 94, Sam MacPherson 82).
Neston head to rock-bottom Bramhall on Saturday.
