A SOFT, green wicket was unlikely to produce a result between two sides boasting 100% starts – and so it proved as the Groves drew at Offerton in Division One of the Cheshire Alliance.
Four changes for the Groves saw Dick Green and Nishan Bhandary return and Thomas Garratt and Mark Ward were also called up.
Mike Garvey put the hosts into bat and the going was tough, Jones (2-19) and Garvey himself (2-39) taking wickets as the Stockport outfit posted 196-8.
The Groves’ reply did not begin well.
With only four deliveries of the innings gone Mark Evans went for a duck, soon followed by Dale Cook.
Garvey then went for one and it was Dom Green (35) and Mike Caulfield (27) who steadied the ship.
Bhandary added his own 27 to the pot as he built a 58 partnership with Dick Green, whose respectable 47no helped the Groves secure a draw, finishing on 153-6.
Skipper Garvey said: “We were never in the hunt after the three early wickets went down.
“We maintained our unbeaten start to the season which is important, and we should now be able to build on this and put a concerted effort in to ensure we are in the mix when the time comes.”
This Saturday sees the Groves play host to Rylands.
