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ESTABLISHED 1874

FOUNDER MEMBERS OF THE GREATER MANCHESTER CRICKET LEAGUE

Today's Fixtures

3rd XI vs Uppermill CC 2nd XI (Home)

Future Fixtures

Sat 14 September: 1st XI vs Denton West CC (Home)
Sat 14 September: 2nd XI vs Winton CC 2nd XI (Away)

Opening Times

Today 12:00 to 22:30
Mon 17:30 to 21:30
Tue 18:30 to 23:00
Wed 18:30 to 23:00
Thu 18:30 to 23:00
Fri 15:00 to 00:00
Sat 12:00 to 00:00

Match Report Sun 1 September: 3rd XI vs Heaton CC 3rd XI (Away)

Heat Turns on 3rds

Our third team were hosted by Heaton CC 3rds on a gloomy afternoon in Bolton. Clifton won the toss and after a solid but uneventful start from Clifton’s openers Captain Steve McManus was dismissed following a poor, impatient shot which brought the imperious Owen Hogben (Pictured) to the crease following a reshuffle in the batting order after a late injury. Owen took his chance playing a faultless knock of 85 not out from 97 balls, for his maiden senior fifty. It was an innings Owen has been threatening all season having been posting consistently exceptional numbers in his own age group and regularly scoring 20s and 30s not out in the 2nd and 3rd teams respectively. Undoubtedly the only thing preventing Owen from playing a knock like this sooner is the fact he has had to wait patiently for his chance up the order and he didn’t disappoint hitting 7 fours and 2 big sixes and even a mistimed scoop shot from the last ball of the innings couldn’t detract from what everyone at Clifton hopes is his breakthrough innings.
Owen was ably assisted with Ethan Kite sticking around scoring a patient 19 and a rapid 41 from Sam Winstanley. An unfortunate dismissal for Jordan Higham, and a run out for Chris Thorpe chasing quick runs towards the end of the innings prevented them from troubling the scorers for too long, before Lewis Keogh finished the innings with Owen displaying some powerful hitting with two sweetly struck 4s and some good running in a useful 12 from 6 balls, contributing to the team posting a competitive total of 195.

Heaton’s innings couldn’t have got off to a worse start with young opening partnership broken in the first over with a brilliant delivery from Tom Worthington. However that was about as good as it got for Clifton’s bowlers in a bowling performance to forget. A rain delay in the 9th over left Heaton 34-1 chasing a revised target of 155 from 29 overs. Some erratic bowling combined with an inability to break some important partnerships soon enough meant that the chase always felt on for Heaton even when they lost a couple of quick wickets with less than 10 overs to go still needing around 30 runs. Some powerful hitting from S. Sastry combined with a chanceless knock of 66 from 76 balls from young opening batsman A. Bhuta put Heaton within touching distance of the win and a couple of big sixes from the latter all but confirmed only the 3rds, 3rd defeat in the league all season. The aforementioned sixes spoiled Owen Hogben’s figures who after excelling with the bat took 1 wicket at 5.88 from his 8 overs and was probably the pick of the bowlers but that will offer little consolation to a bitterly disappointed team and in particularly, Owen Hogben, who contributed so much to the game and didn’t deserve to finish on the losing side.

Match Report Sat 31 August: 2nd XI vs Whalley Range CC 3rd XI (Home)

A Comfortable Ten Wicket Win

A quick day for the 2s started with the away side winning the toss and batting. 

Rob opened the bowling up t'hill and gave the umpire an easy decision to make two balls in when he hit the batsman on the pad in front of all 3. 

Tom then joined in and both the opening bowlers took constant wickets with only Whalley Range’s number 5 staying around for any sort of time. Lewis and Liam then both picked up wickets each and Whalley Range were bowled out for 70.  

Rob taking 3 wickets Tom and Liam taking 2 each and Lewis with 1. Jordan Higham fielded excellently taking 3 catches and 2 run-outs. 

Steve and Chris opened the batting and knocked it off comfortably in 12 overs with Chris getting 46* and Steve 19*. A very good and quick day for the 2s meant most of them shot off to watch the first team up at Egerton.  

Match Report Sat 31 August: 1st XI vs Egerton CC (Away)

1st XI Edging Closer to Top Two

The firsts secured a rather routine league double against a side that were surprisingly lacklustre given that they were just four points behind at the start of play. The win cements third place and maybe even presents a sniff at second as the last two games approach. Joe and Sam (36) provided the base for the win, with an opening partnership of 83 that was to prove just four short of the home side’s response. Joe fell frustratingly one short of a third half-century of the season and six short of the 500 run mark. The rest of the batting order chipped in with some useful double figure knocks that posted a total of 179-9 with Dave Dempster (21& Pictured) providing the patience to ensure that 133-6 didn’t dissolve into a much poorer total.

Egerton’s response never materialised and, for a second time this season, heads seemed to drop when their talismanic pro, Abid Ali (1255 runs for the season) was sent packing courtesy of another Sam Dorsey catch, his thirty third of the season. The attack was once again spearheaded by skipper Richard Dempster (Pictured) who’s 5-25 once again comprised mainly of top order batsmen. Ryan and Ben captured two apiece and the dismissals were completed with a run out, which appeared to the side-on Clifton Deckchair Army, to be more than a little harsh as the batsman appeared to be beyond the stumps and turning to make his way back when the bails were dislodged! There was a minor flourish that took the score from 51-8 to the eventual 87, but in reality Dempster’s Demons had barely had to break sweat all afternoon to secure the five points.

Victory in the final games against Denton West (one win in five) and Woodbank (one win all season) could just see a highly improbable second spot secured and end the 2024 season on a bit of a high, with Roe Green having to travel to Flixton on the last day.

Gallery

Further pictures from our double Cup Final weekend are now available to view in our gallery

MCR Rocks

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Ladies' Charity Cricket Match

Ladies Charity Cricket

On the 6th September at 6pm we are hosting a Mum's vs Daughters Cricket Match for Charity. The charity is https://wipeyourtears.org.uk/ and you can donate here: https://www.justgiving.com/wipeyourtears

Team A
Kimberly Vickers, Erica Stephenson, Tanya O'Hara, Dawn Harrower, Arabella Cross, Jane Goulding, Kirsty Shaw, Amy Boakes, Catherine Haslam, Hayley McQueeny, Chloe Kettle, Lisa Smith, Robyn Pendlebury, Lisa Kettle, Gemma Thorpe, Vic Barlow

Team B
Kerry Moran, Linz White, Sarah Pendlebury, Laila Smith, Jane Money, Michelle Kite, Mary Beardshaw, Clare Grimshaw, Danielle Emerson, Miley Moran, Jodie Cross, Hayley Fox, Stacey Potts, Natalie Vickers, Megan Jones, Karen Hogben  

Match Report Mon 26 August: 3rd XI vs Prestwich CC 3rd XI - Premier Sunday Cup (Final) (Away)

Fourth Day of Cricket and Final Defeat for 3s

The mega weekend of cricket came to a disappointing end at Prestwich on Monday as the thirds were unable to emulate the cup-winning feeling experienced the day before. It was a great start to the game with Prestwich limping to 8-1 off the first 8 overs. Sadly dropped catches failed to cement the stranglehold and instead of keeping the foot on the throat, we unfortunately released the pressure and gave Prestwich a helping hand back to their feet and, in the process, turned 18-2 into an imposing 193-9. 

On a positive note, every bowler took wickets, (for the umpteenth time this season?) and Owen took yet another fantastic boundary catch to challenge the tremendous caught & bowled that bother Elliot managed earlier. 

The reply was a damp squib, with Sam Winstanley top scoring with 21 in a disappointing 82 all out. The sizeable Clifton contingent in a decent bank holiday crowd, were restricted to cheering the efforts of 13 year old Charlie (Pictured) at the death, including a fearless pulled four off a short pitched delivery.

Onward and Upward now for the thirds as they have to go full out to win the remaining league games and hope that Greenfield slip up.

More pictures to follow.

Match Report Sun 25 August: 2nd XI vs Brooksbottom CC - 2nd XI Championship Cup (Final) (Home)

2nd XI CUP WINNERS

The seconds beat the opposition and the weather in a near perfect performance against a very experienced Brooksbottom side from the division above. The visitors, who walked away with the division 5 title last season, found this year’s Clifton a vastly different proposition, with the additional year added to the ages of the respective group of players proving a bonus for Liam’s side, rather than the hindrance obviously felt by the opposition.

It didn’t start that well when, after losing the toss, Ethan found his feet glued to the crease and Chris played a glance a fraction early and looped up a catch off the leading edge. However, Jordy Higham (26) and man-of-the-match Dan Jones (51) set about the recovery process with a partnership of 60 and precipitated a number of decent little partnerships that culminated in Lewis and principally Owen (26) scampering a partnership of 24 without a single boundary, that ran the fielders ragged. The sight of them running twos to mid off, cover point and square leg, brought a smile to the faces of the damp spectators.

Brooksbottom's reply didn't start too well as Rob Meredith (Pictured) toiled up the hill, removing two batsmen, including danger man and former Cliftonian Andy Lord, whilst conceding just three runs off the bat in nine overs. There was also 14 wides to add to his tally, but we won't dwell on that given the wet conditions and the unforgiving slope. To concede three runs off 54 legal deliveries against opening batsmen is a marvellous achievement indeed. Dan Jones then cemented his M-O-T-M performance with 3-16 off his nine overs. A partnership of 60 between the only two batsmen to make double figures, provided a momentary period of doubt as the total was reduced to 153 following a rain break and the intervention of Messrs Duckworth & Lewis. The run rate had continued to climb though, with one batsman taking 51 balls to score 5 runs and, whilst the dangerous Zohaib Qureshi was still launching balls to the boundary with worrying alacrity, a wonderful spell of wide yorkers and slower balls by Jordy, put the game beyond the visitors, and the 2nd XI Championship Cup was secured with a winning margin of 24 runs.

More pictures to follow.

Match Report Sat 24 August: 1st XI vs Flixton C&SC (Home)

Captain Leads 1st XI Home in a Manchester Road Treat

The first win of the day came with Richard winning the toss and electing to field. 

It was a slow start for the boys with the opening partnership of Cross and Perry getting to 66 before Ben Hamilton found a breakthrough. Holt came to the crease and both him and Cross looked set for a big total. However, Mason Turner found the wicket of Holt with the score now being 135. Cross was still damaging the bowling attack and reached 100 just before Richard trapped him on the pads which now made it 178-3. Richard then got two more quick wickets and scoring started to slow down with Hamilton also getting 3 wickets in 2 overs. The Flixton innings then came to an end at 209-9 off of their 50 overs. The two stand out bowlers were Richard with 9-1-47-4 and Ben with 14-2-53-4. 

Clifton looked good being 45-0 off the first 9 overs before Dorsey was the first one to go for 26. Settle then followed quickly leaving the score 47-2 from 10 overs. Howarth quickly departed, bringing Hamilton to the crease with Ayers. The two of them looked good with runs flowing and in no time got the score to 110 before Ayers on 41 went for another six against spinner Stamper but caught off a top edge. This led to Flaxman coming to the crease, scoring a quick 17. 

With Clifton now needing 75 from 22 overs, Captain Richard joined Hamilton with both of them doing well just as they did with the ball. That ended after Hamilton got out on 31 but brought the other Dempster, brother Dave, who both brought it home for the boys last weekend. Unfortunately, after a confident 24, Dave was back in the pavilion and soon followed Turner. 

Sam Winstanley on 1st XI debut joined the captain in the middle. Richard took it upon himself to guide the boy's home while Winstanley looked like a brick wall at the other end and not letting Flixton bowlers take his wicket. With the game on a knife edge and excitement in the crowd Richard edged through to the keeper, but was dropped! 

Richard then kept his head down and moved forward scoring the runs needed to get the lads over the line for a great win. Winstanley finished on 1* from 17 balls while Richard finished on 35* and showed a true captains knock. 

This win means Clifton are now only 2 points behind Roe Green in second place and another step closer to a Lancashire Cup spot next year.  

Match Report Sat 24 August: 2nd XI vs Westleigh CC 2nd XI (Away)

No Nerves Present Ahead of Cup Final

With most of the young teams focus being on tomorrows 2 X1 cup final there was still the mater of league action that required full attention. 

Liam lost the toss and Clifton were all together. Lewis opened the bowling and struck instantly with the first ball off the game and Clifton were in high spirits. Westleighs number 3 came in and was only batting one way until Lewis eventually picked up his second wicket in the sixth over.  

After some pretty tight and accurate opening overs Tom struck with the assistance of Dan jones who took an excellent catch at mid-wicket. Liam and Rob then came on and bowled neat and tidy taking wickets at regular intervals to not let any batsmen get settled. Dan Jones then replaced Rob and bowled well taking a wicket like Mark Wood with keeper Steve taking a catch off the glove down leg side.  

Lewis (5-0-39-2), Tom (6-1-17-1), Rob (7-1-28-1), Dan (6.5-2-22-2), Owen (1-0-2-0) All the bowlers bowled excellently but the stand out has to be the skipper taking another 4-fer with figures off (14-2-38-4). 

Onto the batting and Steve opened up with Owen and got off to a very good start with an opening  partnership worth 67, Steve making most of them before he fell just short off the half century mark for 46. Owen was the next to go for a steady 17. However, the “Hogben experiment” Certainly went better than the last outing.  

At the crease now was the young left-handed duo of Dan and Lewis, unfortunately their time together wasn't a long one with Lewis falling for 10. Liam joined Dan and they had a decent partnership worth 31 before Dan was bowled for 20. Aj’s (5*) intent and Liam’s (27*) experience saw Clifton across the line winning comfortably by 6 wickets and with some 10 overs or more to spare. 

A great team performance but moment of the day has to go to Nick Flaxman for his excellent diving stop at mid-on (rolling back the years) after coming out of retirement only an hour before the start of the game. 

Now all focus is on Sundays Cup Final! 

Match Report Fri 23 August: 3rd XI vs Greenfield CC 3rd XI (Away)

3s Nyctophobia Kicks In.

The thirds travelled to Greenfield for another catch up game in pursuit of the Sunday Premier League Championship. It's a pity that it's come down to playing 20 over games in the dark in the depths of August, but the weather has made a mockery of the season and it's the same for everyone. The task of batting second when you couldn't see your hand in front of your face was difficult, but then again, so was fielding. 

For the record, Greenfield batted nicely in posting 152-5 with no bowler covering themselves in either glory of shame, just a workmanlike performance on a small field, with Owen's now customary stunning catch lighting up the gloom. This time it was a riverside boundary catch, held nonchalantly, just as the Greenfield fielders were scuttling for the sieve-on-a-pole to fish the ball out of the river. 

The reply got off to a great start with Steve Mac asking young Anuj to play a pinch hitting role, which he played to perfection as the two of them put on 56 in good time. However, their scores of 30 and 33 proved to be top scores on the evening as the innings fell away, despite Jordy Higham putting the fear of God into some fielders with some lusty blows in the darkness as he posted 28. In the end, a defeat by 22 runs was not the outcome that we were looking for as it now means that the championship is out of their control as they have to rely on Greenfield to drop points.

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