Hadfield secured promotion from the Greater Manchester Cricket League Division 1 last Saturday and can, if they win this Saturday, claim their first ever piece of GMCL silverware.
Newshaw Lane saw a promotion shootout between Hadfield and Stretford on Saturday.
The victors promoted; the losers likely not.
After being asked to bat, Hadfield’s openers failed to fire.
Ric Tranter was cruelly run out when a single, by some observers’ accounts, was there for the taking.
Joy and Sanjula looked to rebuild, the latter bringing up another 50 as Hadfield looked well set on 100-3.
That optimism, however, proved short-lived.
Four wickets, including Sanjula (65), fell for 10 runs.
Some prudent batting from 9-11 did lift Hadfield to 143ao as Heyes (3-51) and Blackwell (3-19) did ok.
The second half started better for the hosts.
Skipper Cameron Ball struck in his second over, then Liam Doyle in his fourth to leave Stretford 20-2.
Things didn’t get much better for Stretford from there.
A superb bowling display from Hadfield saw Doyle pick up a season’s best 5-44, a worldie of a catch behind the stumps from Sanjula one that will live long in the memory.
Ball chipped in with 4-40 to see Stretford 116 all out.
Hadfield are promoted, and sit top, while Stretford need results to go their way.
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