This Season

Clifton travelled to Flixton on a grey but warm JulySaturday, hoping to maintain momentum in the GMCL Premier Division. But on aday when standards dipped and momentum was hard to grasp, the hosts took fulladvantage and came away with a well-earned victory.

Clifton were not at their best in the field, with a displaythat lacked their usual discipline. Wayward bowling, missed opportunities, anda general sense of sloppiness meant Flixton were able to build a strongplatform after losing two early wickets to Ollie Sleight, who struck with alively new-ball spell (2–35).

The standout for Flixton was Gareth Cross, who punishedanything loose and held the innings together with an excellent 77 off 72 balls.He was supported by another ex Cliftonian in Will Davidson (38) and Beckford(22), and although wickets fell regularly after the 30-over mark, Clifton’sinconsistency with the ball allowed the hosts to post a competitive 224.There were wickets shared around the Clifton attack. FinTesta (3–53) picked up key scalps, while Ben Hamilton (2–53) and Parikh (2–37)contributed. But the general feeling was that a tighter performance could havekept Flixton under 200.

In reply, Clifton began positively through Zach Flaxman, whoraced to 27 off 19 balls with one four and three towering sixes. However, themomentum was short-lived as Jack Stanley and Flaxman fell in quick succession,and Flixton's bowlers began to tighten their grip. 

Matt Van Dyk (66 off 104) and Sam Dorsey (34 off 78) showedreal grit in the middle overs, absorbing pressure and slowly rebuilding theinnings. Their partnership hinted at a recovery, but as the required rate creptup, the squeeze began.

Cross returned with the ball and proved just as effective,taking 5 for 61 and breaking the back of the middle and lower order. Beckford(3–50) also caused problems, as Clifton lost wickets at regular intervals andslipped from 162–5 to 192 all out.

There’s no doubt this Clifton side has the resilience tobounce back, and with lessons learned, the focus will now turn to getting backto winning ways next weekend.

Thankfully, Liam won the toss, which meant the home side had to field first in the scorching heat. Steve Mac and Ethan Kite took to the crease, but it wasn't long before Sam Winstanley had to join Ethan. Steve (6) fell in the first over after absolutely nailing one to square leg, only for the fielder to catch it in his stomach.

Ethan (14) was the next to fall, which meant Jordy and Sam needed to rebuild, and they did so perfectly, sharing a partnership of 67 before Sam was rightly fired off by his dad for a well-made 37. Judgey joined Jordan at the crease, and they put on another valuable partnership worth 72 before Mr. Judge’s hamstring got the better of him, as he was bowled for 41.

Jordy's excellent 73 helped push Clifton beyond 200, but unfortunately, Liam was the only one in the lower order to reach double figures, as Clifton finished their innings on 228-9.

Clifton then took to the field, confident they could keep the home side below the target. Rob and Tom opened up as usual, and Tom struck in his first over, taking a good reaction catch off his own bowling for a caught-and-bowled. Rob joined the fun six balls later, dismissing the second opener to leave the hosts at 14-2 after just 3 overs.

Tom then picked up his second, with Jordy taking a comfortable catch. Liam got himself on the board next, linking up with Owen, who took a nice catch to remove the settled number 4. The home side were now 78-4, and that’s when the collapse began, with Liam and Jordy rattling through the batting order, both taking three wickets each and getting the job done as Clifton cruised to another comfortable victory, winning by 123 runs.

This result means the 2s maintain the 17-point gap at the top of the table. Next week, we welcome second-place Swinton Moorside to Manchester Road in a local derby, where they will look to increase the gap even further.

What followed, however, was a display of patience fromEdgworth by Williams-Denton (65) and late acceleration came from Taylor(41), Broughton (34), and Kelly (17* off 8), swinging momentum Edgworth’sway in the final 10 overs.

Clifton debutant Praharsh Parikh made an instant impact,claiming 4 wickets, including Smith-Butler, in an impressive debutant spell ,finishing with figures of 4-75. Despite this, Edgworth’s late hitting poweredthem to an imposing 276 from their 50 overs.

In reply, Clifton started steadily. Zach Flaxman (23) and JackStanley put together a composed opening stand, with Stanley going on totop-score with 49 in trying conditions. However, just as partnerships began toform, wickets began to fall.

The defining feature of Edgworth’s bowling innings was thecontrol and maturity shown by their young spinners, Taylor (3-29), and Kellywho stole the show, ripping through Clifton’s middle order to claim animpressive 5-65.

Clifton battled valiantly, with Ethan Pietkiewicz (24) and BenHamilton (13) offering resistance, but the required rate, the heat, and theguile of Edgworth’s slow bowling proved too much in the end.

Despite the result, there were real positives for Clifton,not least the exciting debut of Parikh and the opening fire from Sleight. Onanother day, with a slightly tighter finish to the first innings, the chasemight have looked very different.

Clifton head into next week determined to bounce back, withplenty of fight left in the tank.

In the second round of the Championship Cup, the 2nd XI travelled to Thornham CC, where Rob Meredith finally won a toss and decided that Clifton would bat first.

Openers Steve McManus and Ethan Kite walked to the crease for the second day in a row. The pair got off to an excellent start, with Steve reaching his half-century in the 25th over. Unfortunately, just one over later, his opening partner Ethan fell for a well-made 33, ending a solid partnership of 97.

With wickets in hand, Clifton looked to accelerate the run rate. Jordan Higham joined Steve at the crease but couldn’t really get going on a pitch where the ball barely rose above knee height all day. Steve, however, continued to bat brilliantly. Dan Jones (10) was the next to join him.

As Steve entered the 90s, tension built around the ground. On 99, heartbreak struck, he fell just one run short of a century he truly deserved. After Steve’s outstanding knock, Clifton were 168-3 with five overs remaining, aiming to push towards 200. Unfortunately, none of the incoming batters could find momentum, and Clifton finished on 187-6.

The job was far from done, it was now over to the bowlers to win the game for Clifton. For the second day running, Tom and Rob opened the bowling, and it took Rob just two balls to strike, putting Thornham at 1-1. Tom soon joined in, picking up the second wicket. A brief fightback from the home side was ended when Tom claimed his second wicket, leaving Thornham at 38-3 and the target of 188 looking distant.

Jordan Higham replaced Rob and bowled an excellent spell, taking 3-21 from his nine overs and swinging the game firmly in Clifton’s favour. Lewis replaced Tom and delivered a tidy spell, finishing with 1-12 from six overs. Dan Jones and Ethan Kite then wrapped things up, Dan took a wicket in his only over, and Ethan claimed two wickets in just three balls, leaving the hosts 115 runs short of their target.

Clifton now progress to the quarter-finals, where they will travel to Heywood on 29th June, looking to defend the cup and continue their journey.

Once again this season, Rob Meredith took on the role of captain, leading a young team with only two players over the age of 20. As has become something of a tradition, Rob lost the toss, and the visitors elected to put Clifton in to bat.

Openers Steve McManus and Ethan Kite walked to the crease to face the new ball. Unfortunately, a wicket fell in the first over, bringing Dan Jones to the crease earlier than anyone would have liked. However, Dan’s patience and time in the middle proved crucial, as he built an 80-run partnership with Steve. Steve batted excellently, reaching a well-earned 50 at a strike rate of over 100, before falling LBW. 

Owen Hogben then joined Dan at the crease, and both looked comfortable until they were dismissed in quick succession—Owen for 18 and Dan for a composed 44. This brought Sam Winstanley and Lewis Keogh together, who accelerated the scoring to push Clifton toward their target of 200. Lewis contributed a quick 19 before being caught at point, and Sam followed shortly after, having made a vital 50 off just 43 balls. With the score at 194-6 and only a few overs remaining, AJ (15) and Hiruka (6) ran superbly between the wickets, helping Clifton to a strong final total of 215-8.

The usual opening bowling pair of Tom and Rob began the second innings, but the visitors got off to a solid start before Tom made the breakthrough at 38-1. Another steady partnership followed, but Ethan Kite removed the second opener, who had made a well-played 45. Tight spells from Dan and Lewis helped slow the run rate, and by the 26th over, the visitors were 82-2, needing 133 runs from 144 balls. 

Ethan then picked up his second wicket, and the Clifton crowd began to sense a tense finish. A sharp piece of fielding by Lewis, combined with Owen's composure, resulted in a crucial run-out. With 75 needed from 66 balls and six wickets in hand, the pressure mounted. Owen began to settle into his spell, and the visiting batsman was caught on the boundary by Dan Jones, a turning point that steadied Clifton’s nerves. Two quick wickets followed: one for Tom and another for Owen, both caught by Dan again, tilting the game further in Clifton’s favor. As the final four overs began, the visitors needed 39 from 24 balls.

Some excellent death bowling from Tom meant Owen was left defending 20 off the final over. Dot ball. Dot ball. Dot ball. All that was left was for Owen to stay composed, keep his foot behind the line, and close out the win. The visitors finished just 8 runs short of the target.

After a thrilling and competitive game of cricket, Clifton remain top of the league and extend their lead over second-placed South West Manchester to 9 points...a team they face away next weekend!

With a couple missing from the 2s after being called up to the first XI Rob Meredith was captain for the 4th time this season and for the 4th time lost the toss and Clifton were having a bowl. 

The captain began the first over, followed by usual partner Tom Worthington. From this moment wickets began to fall quickly. The visitors 7-1 quickly became 7-2 then 15-3 and 15-4  then 16-5 and 20-6. In this excellent spell Rob took 2 wickets for just 11 runs in 12 overs. Whilst Tom picked up 3 wickets in his first spell and AJ and Judgey linked up for a good run out.  On came Lewis Keogh in a crucial moment of the game and kept things tight whilst Ethan Kite got the key breakthrough breaking the 50 partnership leaving Blackley 74-6. 

Ethan quickly got his second caught by Steven Judge before young Oscar Thorpe picked up a wicket to put the visitors 104-9. Tom then came back and wrapped up the last wicket to walk away with an excellent 4 wickets. Clifton were left chasing 122.

Ethan Kite and Chris Thorpe took to the crease to lead the chase and got off to a positive start.  Unfortunately, Chris (8) fell with the score at 33 and Owen Hogben came to the crease. Owen and Ethan batted superbly knocking the ball around the fielders and both made cricket look easy. Ethan then brought up an excellent half century which was rightly applauded by the home crowd. Ethan then gave his first chance away and it was taken which meant he had to leave the field needing just 10 to win after scoring a brilliant 62 off just 74 deliveries. Owen (40*) then hit the winning runs to ensure Clifton gained the bonus point. 

An excellent all-round performance earned Clifton a 5 point gap at the top of the table which represents the excellent start they have made.

Clifton’s 2nd XI travelled to Stretford CC on Saturday with dark clouds looming above and rain in the air for the first time this season. The Stretford skipper won the toss and elected to bat. As usual, Rob Meredith opened the bowling alongside Tom Worthington. Both bowlers kept things tidy as Stretford made a slow but steady start, with Rob’s first four overs all being maidens.

Eventually, Rob got the breakthrough, and Stretford were 21-1. The second wicket came from a direct hit by Owen Hogben to remove the second opener, who was beginning to look settled on 37. Rob then finished his spell, picking up two wickets. Tom finished his spell wicketless but was economical, conceding only two runs per over.

Then came the skipper Liam and Jordan Higham to keep the pressure on. Liam showed his experience and began regularly taking wickets at one end, while Jordy kept it tight at the other. The hosts were 73-4, which quickly became 103-7, with Liam finishing with excellent figures of 4 for 50 from his 14 overs, with 2 maidens. Jordy was unlucky to finish without a wicket but bowled 12 overs for just 46 runs.

Stretford then finished their innings with a solid last-wicket partnership of 41, taking them to 144-7 after their 45 overs.

Young lads Ethan Kite and Owen Hogben opened the batting in a similar fashion to Stretford — nice and solid, but with not many runs flowing. Owen was the first to fall, bowled for 13 in the 10th over. Ethan followed shortly after, also bowled, for 18. This left Dan Jones and Jordan Higham at the crease. Both dug in and stuck around to keep the scoreboard ticking and secure Clifton the bonus point.

Both batsmen batted carefully, gave little away, and brought a big six points back home to Clifton. Jordy finished 56* and Dan Jones 47*. Their unbeaten partnership of 109* secured the vital bonus point for Clifton, who now sit in second place behind Swinton Moorside, who have a slightly higher net run rate.

We look forward to welcoming Stretford to Manchester Road later in the season.

The art of manufacturing ones and twos into gaps in the field seems to be a lost art for the club's batsmen at the moment.

With one eye on t'internet for the cup draws, we go again next week.

On a picture-perfect day at Manchester Road, Clifton CC 1st XI registered an excellent and hard-earned victory over Flixton C&SC 1st XI, showcasing discipline with the ball and flashes of grit with the bat in a game that had the crowd on edge as the finish line approached.

Having won the toss, Clifton opted to bat on a glorious surface, but once again their innings was defined by a patient start and a faltering middle order. Openers Matt Van Dyk (9) and Jack Stanley (33) got things moving, with Stanley grinding through 47 deliveries before falling to a sharp return catch from ex Clifton Pro, Gareth Cross. Current Pro, Sam Dorsey also dug in for 34 off 75 balls, anchoring the innings during a slow middle phase.

The middle order again struggled to convert, losing wickets in clusters. The only standout came from Ben Hamilton, whose composed 38 was crucial in pushing Clifton toward a competitive score. However, Clifton lost their final six wickets for just 57 runs, slumping to 165 all out in 43.5 overs. Beckford was the chief destroyer for Flixton, claiming 5-28 in a tight and probing spell.

With the bat, Flixton never quite settled. Clifton’s new-ball pairing of Danny Higham and Oliver Sleight kept things miserably tight early on. Higham’s 9 over spell yielded 2-19 and four maidens - pure control - while Sleight dried up runs from the other end and removed the dangerous Oakley to finish with 1-41.

The middle overs belonged to Ben Hamilton. Fresh from his key contribution with the bat, Hamilton ripped through Flixton’s lineup with a terrific spell of 5-27. His wickets came at key moments, ensuring that Flixton never quite broke free. Despite a brave 28 from Beckford and a few late boundaries from Cheetham, Flixton were gradually strangled out of the game.

Still, with wickets in hand and the score ticking closer to the target, the home crowd was visibly edgy as the chase reached 120-9. But Hamilton returned to have Phillips bowled, sealing a 29 run win for Clifton with 11.4 overs remaining.

It was a match that underlined Clifton’s bowling depth and discipline. While the batting continues to misfire in patches - particularly the middle order - the side’s resilience and team effort delivered a fine win.

In an exciting 2nd XI Championship Cup clash, Clifton CC 2ndXI, the defending champions, secured a convincing victory over Tottington St. Johns CC 2nd XI, winning by 7 wickets at Tottington on Sunday.

Tottington St. Johns, having won the toss, opted to bat first, but were quickly put under pressure by the Clifton bowlers. The innings began with early wickets, leaving Tottington at 22-2. However, A. Roughley led the charge with a magnificent innings of 112 not out from 101 balls, supported by A. James Roughley JNR, who made a patient 47 not out from 107 balls. The pair combined to form a strong partnership.

Clifton’s bowlers worked hard throughout the innings, with Rob Meredith showing great control, finishing with 0-8 from 7 overs, while Dan Jones, Lewis Keogh, and Tom Worthington all contributed, though none could break the partnership. Despite the excellent efforts from the bowling attack, Tottington managed to finish strongly, setting a competitive target of 196.

In response, Clifton’s chase was led by a solid performance from Ethan Kite, who played a key role with the bat, scoring 57 from 75 balls. Alongside him, Dan Jones was the mainstay of the chase, producing a well-paced knock of 62 not out from 64 balls, guiding the team steadily towards the target. Jack Barton also made a useful contribution with 28 from 29 balls, keeping the momentum going.

Clifton's batsmen were determined to make light work of the chase, and despite some tight bowling from Tottington, they kept their composure. The best efforts of K. Schofield (1-29) and A. Roughley (1-41)couldn't prevent Clifton from getting closer to the target. S. Marsh and S. Wooley were also unable to stem the flow of runs, as Clifton’s batsmen carried their side to a successful chase.

Clifton CC 2nd XI reached 196-3 in 39 overs, sealing the win with 7 wickets remaining and ensuring they advanced further in the competition as defending champions.

The smiles returned to Clifton faces on Cup Sunday, with both sides tasting victory to move into round 2 with some ease.

The firsts looked to avoid elimination at the hands of lower league opposition for a second successive year with former B&DCA rivals Elton from Premier Division 2 visiting Manchester Road. 

After winning the toss and electing to bat, Sam Dorsey sprung the first surprise of the day by, in the absence of several players, choosing 3^rd XI skipper Steve McManus to open the innings with Matt Van Dyk. That confidence in Mac proved well placed as they shared an opening stand of 71 inside 16 overs that set the platform for an imposing total of 277-5 in the allotted 45 overs. With Matty(77) scoring a double of half centuries for the weekend and Jack Stanley (51)Ben Hamilton (43) and the skipper (62) piling on the agony for the visitors ona feather bed of a wicket. 

Elton's response was spirited, led by former Cliftoner, Ryan Barker, whose 87 was the top score of the day, and despite being handily placed at 139-1 to mount a challenge, the huge total proved unassailable after the introduction of spinners Ben Hamilton and Liam Dorsey whose 18 overs between them registered five wickets for 72 runs, which strangled the visitors' middle order and left them flailing to keep up the run rate as they crumbled to 177 all out in the 39^th over. 

Finally Finlay Testa added three wickets at the death and Jordy Higham chipped in with a cameo 2-12 to secure a spot in the draw for the second round. Credit too must go to Dan Higham who, despite being wicketless on the day, did much to further build the pressure at the start of the reply, by bowling his nine allotted over for just 34 including two maidens.

After winning the toss and electing to bat on a good-looking surface,Woodhouses got off to a strong start. Their openers compiled a fluent 74-runstand, threatening to set a commanding total. However, the introductionof Owen Hogben turned the tide. He struck twice - first breaking theopening partnership, then dismissing the other opener shortly after, to leavethe visitors at 115-2.

Clifton’s bowlers then seized control of the innings. Lewis wasthe standout, delivering a superb spell of 3 wickets for just 20 runs in his 5overs. Alongside him, Liam and Hogben chipped in with two wicketsapiece, keeping the pressure on through the middle overs. Woodhouses stumbledto 172-7 from their 45 overs, never quite recovering their early momentum.

Clifton’s reply didn’t begin smoothly, with a wicket falling on the very firstball. But any nerves were quickly settled as Dan Jones joined Ethan tobegin the rebuild. Although the second opener departed for 19 with the score at40-2, a crucial 70-run stand between Jones and Steven Judge steadiedthe chase.

Jones played fluently, reaching a well-earned 50 beforebeing given out shortly after his milestone. Judgey, calm and composed,continued the push towards victory with Hogben providing steady support. Withthe target in sight, Sam Winstanley joined Hogben at the crease andthe pair comfortably saw Clifton home.

Owen Hogben finished unbeaten on 31, capping off a fineall-round performance, while Winstanley added 15* to seal a 6-wicket winwith 12 overs to spare.

To say that the club had a comfortable first weekend of the season, would be a considerable understatement after all three teams picked up winning points with all three also snatching an extra point under the new bonus point system.

The firsts got the ball rolling at Manchester Road as Dan Higham further enhanced his reputation as an exceptional "up th'ill" bowler with three top order scalps after Flowery Field lost the toss and were inserted by new skipper Sam Dorsey. New signings Finlay Testa and Oliver Sleight bowled down the hill without luck as the visitors grafted away to reach 100-4, with new overseas Matt Van Dyk making his first significant contribution with a spectacular boundary save that Oliver Sleight hurled in to run out Ul Haq. At this point, the spinners were introduced and they ran through the remaining batting order with Ben taking 3-12 and Mason 3-31 as the visitors went to tea with just 126 on the board. 

Matt Howarth unfortunately tested the juggling skills of the gully fielder in the first over, after which Sam and another new signing, Jack Stanley, eased their way to a nine wicket win with Sam competing an accomplished first half century of the season and Jack finishing on 41 not out. It'll no doubt be a bigger test next week at Edgworth, but we really couldn't have asked for a better start to the season.