Hyde maintain unbeaten start to season

Cheshire County 1st XI Premier Division: Nantwich 291-7    Hyde 204-7

Hyde maintained their unbeaten start to the season with a draw against last season's Premier League champions Nantwich at Werneth Low on Saturday.

Following victory in their first two matches of the season Hyde went into the game full of confidence and after choosing to bowl first they made an early breakthrough, Andrew Jackson removing Chris Simpson (4) with just seven runs on the board. This brought the dangerous Marcus Stables to the crease and he produced an innings that simply meant Hyde were always going to be chasing a large total.

Along with Luke Robinson, who joined him in the middle after the fall of the second wicket, the pair added 97 to put the visitors in control. 

Robinson went for 56, but Stables continued to take the attack to the Hyde bowlers and he brought his century up off 121 balls. 

When he was finally out, he had amassed 140 from 138 deliveries including 11 fours and 9 sixes. 

It helped Nantwich to a mammoth 291-7 from their 55 overs. 

In reply Hyde made an almost perfect start with openers Tom Partridge and Luke Young looking at ease against an experienced attack that had led the Dabbers to the title last season.

Young scored quickly and Partridge also batted beautifully as the pair went past 50 as Hyde looked to chase down the huge total.

With the score on 92 Young, who had reached 56, skied a ball from Oliver Griffiths and Mitchell Spencer took the catch .

Charlie Barnard came and went cheaply as did Jackson and Hyde were suddenly 109 for three. Things got even worse when Partridge went for an excellent 58 and any chance of an unlikely victory also disappeared. 

From that moment on it was always about survival and Adam Worrall (31) and Rohit Acharya (27) made sure that Hyde navigated a difficult period. 

Both players departed but Jason Ebbrell and skipper Danny Cranmer kept their nerve and ensured Hyde held out for a draw. 

Hyde travel to Toft on Saturday.