Alderley edging closer to Murray Smith Trophy

Sep 6 2008 Liverpool Daily Post

CHANCES of the Alderley Edge ground being fit for today’s ECB Premiership title decider against Bowdon in The Right Move Abroad Cheshire County League are rated 50-50 after a week of incessant rain.

If the game is not played, Alderley will collect the Murray Smith Trophy with a week to spare as they lead their season-long challengers by the comfortable margin of 36 points.

Alderley will do all in their power to play the match and finish top on playing ability and skipper Mark Walker’s men undeniably deserve the honour with 13 wins to Bowdon’s 12 after a season in which they have played bold, attacking cricket.

At the foot of the table, there are three clubs fighting relegation and two of them – Heaton Mersey and Macclesfield – meet in a crucial fixture while the third, Urmston, face a difficult trip to Toft.

Locked together at the top of Division One with 10 wins and 340 points, Oxton and Didsbury will be aiming to win at Warrington and Timperley respectively and take their fight for the title into the season’s final week, although both are already assured of promotion.

TODAY ECB Premier Division (12.00): Alderley Edge v Bowdon; Chester Boughton Hall v Neston; Heaton Mersey v Macclesfield; Nantwich v Hyde; Toft v Urmston; Widnes v Oulton Park. First Division (12.30pm): Birkenhead Park v Bollington; Bramhall v Poynton; Cheadle Hulme v Christleton; Timperley v Didsbury; Upton v Cheadle; Warrington v Oxton. Second Division (12.30pm): Hale Barns v Burnage; Marple v Stockport Georgians; Mobberley v Grappenhall; Sale v Middlewich; Tattenhall v Irby; Winnington Park v Bredbury St. Mark’s.

TOMORROW Cheshire Cup final: Hyde v Didsbury (at Hyde, 12.30pm). North-West Colts Trophy final: Cheshire County League v Liverpool Competition (at Grappenhall, 12.30pm). John North Trophy Under 17 play-offs (at Macclesfield): Semi-finals: Macclesfield v Grappenhall (11am); Widnes v Oulton Park (1.30pm); final 4pm.