Another strong week, with four wins and the first defeat, again across five leagues in four competitions.
Monday 27th April 2026: Cheshire : High Peak U13s league T20 (Division Bollin)
Lindow Vikings 71/9 (20) lost to Heaton Mersey Phoenix 106/6 (20) U13s 127/7 (20) by 35 runs (Scorecard)
A relatively comfortable win for the team last night to stay top of our High Peak league. Asked to bat on a green, uneven strip with dark clouds and rain in the air, the boys made a steady start after an early wicket. Huzaifah and Tom R played well with a 30+ run partnership. After both fell in quick succession, Stan (20) and Shawaiz put on a superb stand of 41 to get us a competitive score.
Shawaiz 27 (retired) then cut loose and hit a six and 3 boundaries while the other players looked to get him on strike and play some big shots to get us over the 100 mark. Some slightly erratic bowling and fielding at the start of the Lindow innings kept them in the game. The boys trying to bowl too fast, not using the bowler friendly conditions. A wicket for captain Stan (1 for 2) kept them in check.
With the game still evenly poised the rest of the attack showed their talent and the stumps were scattered everywhere as Albert, Gregory, Puneeth and Shawaiz all got a wicket each and Will bowled a maiden. Evan and Ollie bowled superb second overs with 2 wickets each including a caught and bowled for Ollie. Archie was the star in the field with a fantastic direct hit, and Albert and Evan were outstanding at long stop (correct terminology). A genuine team performance.
Tuesday 28th April 2026: Cheshire : High Peak U13s league T20 (Division Dean)
Heaton Mersey Magic 125/5 (20) beat Bramhall Bees 106/5 (20) by 19 runs (Scorecard)
The mighty Magic completed another impressive victory over a solid Bramhall team.
Captain Younus won the toss and elected to bat. He led from the front, opening the batting and retiring with a fantastic 31 runs off 28 balls. It was a great batting performance from the team with strong contributions from Monty (16), including a memorable 6, Thomas L (27 not out) and Liam (16). The team finished on 125/5 off their 20 overs.
Bramhall started their innings with two strong openers. Captain Younus and vice-captain Monty were vocal in the field to keep the team focused. At the halfway point, Bramhall were on track to reach the run target. However, in the twelfth over, Mersey’s patience paid off with 3 wickets in 4 balls. Thomas C took two of them, the first clean bowled and the second was from an outstanding catch by Leo at slip. The third came from a run out with Thomas C and Younus combining.
There was another run out in the fifteenth over following great fielding from Leo and Younus. Then, in the sixteenth over, Leo got another wicket, caught and bowled. The team kept things tight in the field for the last three overs to restrict Bramhall to 105 runs. It was a fantastic team performance and a well-deserved victory. Well done to the mighty Magic!
Tuesday 28th April 2026: Cheshire U13s league T20 (Zone 1)
Timperley 83/3 (12/4) beat Heaton Mersey U13s 82 all out (19.5) by 7 wickets (Scorecard)
Mersey were well beaten in their 2nd match of the Cheshire league. The home team won the toss and decide to bowl first. Unfortunately, Mersey had another early run-out and never recovered, losing wickets on a regular basis to a well-drilled home team. Using the natural slope, Timperley bowled a superb line and length inducing false shots from the Mersey batters.
Billy top scored with a rapid and confident 18 (off 17 balls), including a huge legside 6. No other batter reached double figures. Overall, Mersey fell well short of the batting standards required (with three runouts in total). Mersey finishing on 82 all out, which was 30-40 runs short on a ground with shorter than usual boundaries.
Timperley batted confidently from the start, reaching 38 without loss before Adam struck with George taking a smart catch at point. The away side struggled with their line as they didn’t adjust due to the slope of the pitch; the result was 19 byes and wides in 12.4 overs, making the run chase relatively easy. Further wickets for George and Arjo (a smart piece of work by Billy behind the stumps) gave Mersey a bit of a boost, but it was all in vain as the home side reached the target of 83 in 12.4 overs.
It was a disappointing outing for Mersey, but this league is played home and away so there will be a return match against Timperley in May where I am certain that Mersey will play better. Timperley were a very well-behaved team and played cricket in the right spirit. Thanks to everyone supporting the team and thanks to Mike for scoring.
Areas for improvement – 1) Clearer calling when running singles (3rd game running with at least two run outs), 2) better shot selection early in innings, 3) more positivity in the field.
Friday 1st May 2026: South Manchester U13s league
Didsbury Bulls 121/5 (20) lost to Heaton Mersey U13s 123/5 (19.3) by 5 wickets (Scorecard)
It was a rare away victory against Didsbury for Mersey yesterday evening. The home team elected to bat after winning the toss, starting cautiously as Mersey bowled a good length albeit with some waywardness in line. Two caught & bowled wickets kept the run rate down, but Didsbury’s next batters went on the attack after playing and missing many times
The home side looked set for a big score at the 10 overs mark, but Younus struck with a perfect yorker to splatter the stumps. Mersey fought back well to limit Didsbury to 121/5; the only blip being the concession of several fours when the ball should have been stopped for singles. There were wickets for Monty (2/7), Adam (1/8), and Younus (2/3).
The away side started confidently with Shazil and Adam dealing well with the home side’s opening attack. A judicious mix of sharp singles, caressed and clubbed fours, and stout defense ensured that Mersey reached 69/0 after 10 overs. Didsbury fought back with Stan, Sam and Billy falling in quick succession.
With 3 overs to go, Mersey needed 19 to win. Younus hit a couple of meaty fours and, after losing Joe and Shawaiz, Monty entered the fray with 3 to win off 4 balls. Monty proceeded to win the match with an exquisite square drive for four!!! Top scorers were: Adam 33*, Shazil 30*, Sam 16, and Younus 13.
It was a particularly good all-round display from Mersey, expunging memories of the Timperley game a few days earlier. Lessons had been learned from Wednesday’s training session and Mersey were sharper in all aspects of the game, including better game awareness. There was great support from families and the team, especially near the end of the match helping Mersey’s batters.
Thanks to Mike for scoring (again) and for Will in taking the team’s warm-up (please do this again). And the pink match ball was awarded to Younus.
Areas for improvement – Ground fielding, especially stopping fours.
Friday 1st May 2026: South Manchester U12s league
Heaton Mersey U12s 47/1 (8.1) beat Urmston U12s 46 all out (15.2) by 9 wickets (Scorecard)
It was with apprehension that we approached our Friday evening game against Urmston, as the previous week they were giving Whalley Range a hiding while we were chasing down a target in the gloom in Chorlton. We had also lost reasonably comfortably to them last season and they narrowly missing winning Division 1 in the South Manchester league, having been closely beaten by Brooklands in the effective decider.
Anyway, that was then and this was now. The plan for the toss was the spring standard of batting first to get the best light (not that we had followed this in the High Peak league), but this was scuppered by losing the toss. Urmston naturally opted to bat first, which at least gave us a better look at conditions. The heat of the day had inevitably dissipated and rain was forecast for later, so the start was prompt.
It was apparent from the first three overs that the batters had all the time in the world, and that maybe our opening trio of Will, Gregory and George were not as quick as we thought, but something was bugging me about the length of the pitch. I jogged over to the middle to confirm that they were, as I suspected, playing on 22 yards and not 19. However, that was not before one of their openers (the scorer’s son, in fact) had sliced George through the offside, to be sharply caught by Gregory, low and to the right. It was agreed later that this set the tone for the fielding side (despite him shelling a much tougher, low chance an over or so later).
With the pitch shortened to its correct length, we found renewed impetus, as Leo’s tight over was rewarded by bowling the other opener. We could scarcely believe what was happening when Thomas’ second ball was chipped to Leo, leaving them 15-3. But it got worse for the visitors as Finlay, finding a good length with his looping legspin, bowled their next batter. That was 16-4.
In stepped Arno, playing in his first match of the season, to take on the mantle. The away side’s batters insisted on chipping the ball in the air, which they did for Arno’s first delivery, to be comfortably pouched by Harvey, before a sharp take by Thomas at midwicket gave Arno two in the over. That was 23-6. We were all rubbing our eyes.
Urmston put together some mini partnerships to edge the score up, as their scorer noted previous lowest scores to beat, but Zane broke their joint highest partnership of just 11 by bowling out Keep (not their keeper, frustratingly). The score was 34-7.
We rotated back round to our opening bowlers, with Gregory bowling one of their tenacious lower order batters via a ricochet through the legs, before Leo’s rocket arm flew in to Sam, who secured a run out on an ambitious second (a colourful combination from Green and White there). It was then a case of waiting for the inevitable. Finlay bowled a maiden, George went for just two, then Thomas claimed a second to end the innings. Fittingly, it was another catch in the infield, again falling to Harvey. Urmston were all out for 46, which I noted out loud was England’s score in Trinidad in 1994 as they chased a gettable total.
Pretty much every shot they played in the air went close to a fielder, and we dropped nothing (other than the very tricky one to Gregory low down). It was a great performance in the field from every player. Thomas’ captaincy was excellent, chirpy in the field and marshalling his troops well; a positive attitude exemplified by Adam. There was very little for the coaches to do and it felt like it was vindication for five years of hard work.
Thomas set the tone for the chase by smashing his second ball for four. George had needed some persuading to open, having started the season with two ducks (one opening, one down the order), and he struggled to get off the mark, but importantly just stuck it out.
Thomas meanwhile was perhaps getting a little carried away, as an attempted reverse paddle brought mild incredulity from the Heaton Mersey parents and coaches. Urmston’s bowlers, bowling from 22 yards for the first three overs for fairness, were profligate, with one ball going for five wides, and other extras not helping their cause.
Thomas hit another four before getting bowled with the score almost halfway there on 20. Leo came in and guided his first ball for four through third man, before clipping his third ball for four through square leg. George scrapped and scraped at the other end, eventually getting off the mark. He had been hitting some good shots but finding fielders.
Leo continued his excellent timing, though, hitting two more fours, the second of which secured the 9-wicket win off the first ball of the 9th over. It was all the more impressive as Urmston had opened with four bowlers bowling two each, to the irritation of their second innings scorer who felt they should have shared it around given they did not expect to win the game.
The home side were delirious as Ian gave a moving speech, saying that everyone contributed to this win and that we had nothing to be afraid of with sides like this. We might have off days but on our day we can beat anyone.
