Well, that really did me good, a brilliant weekend to be part of our brilliant club, yours truly having a great time with two of our senior XIs, enjoying especially another century from Adam Slater, while news of our triumphs elsewhere filtered through. Here’s this week’s round-up.

We will start off with our women who have had several games this week. The 1s marmalised Georgians on Monday night in the T20 Eastern Division, Roshini and Zoe Coombes each hitting 37 as Dids made 141-6. Georgians fell in a heap, 37 all out, with Pooja Singh 3-2-9-4 the standout. Unfortunately for us though, Lindow have made it through from the group.

However, Rosh’s girls will get a crack at Lindow in the Knockout Cup Final (scheduled for Aug 11 at Hale Barns) after a very impressive 5 wkt win over Chester BH on Tues. Rosh herself led the way, taking 2-1-19-4, with the other bowlers all chipping in to restrict a strong Chester side to 97-7 in their 20 overs. There was some early peril for Dids but Rosh held things together, 43 off 52 bs as no other batter got into double figures, CBH fighting hard, but in a tense finale Georgina Birkenshaw nicked a single in the final over to seal victory with four balls remaining.

On Sunday the 1s recorded an excellent 54 run win over second place Nantwich, going third in the table with a game in hand on the top two. Zara Matthews (33) and Emily Wilkins (32) were the top scorers but with several other handy contributions the 1s finished on 176-9 in their 40. Nantwich struggled to 115-5, Hannah Marshall bowling their top scorer and Zara in action again with 2-16. Then more magic from Pooja (4-12) saw Nantwich all out 122.

Zoe’s 2s moved to within 2 pts of Div3 East leaders Georgians on Thurs, beating them by 6 runs. Rosie Davis made 29 as Dids finished on 82-7 but SG were pegged back from the off as Sasha Turnock took two wkts in the first over. Ramilee Cabral then took 3-9 in her spell, including the main SG batter, and it was 15 needed off the last over. The skipper herself took charge and Georgians could only get 9.

Katya’s 3s lost one and won one to head Div 4, albeit having played more games than the others at this stage. The loss came on Weds when Georgians 3s bowled our girls out for 36, but they hit back on Sun with a 49 run win over a Lindow side that clearly struggled with ball control, conceding 35 wides and 52 extras in all as 30 from Katya and 20 from Jo Towndrow powered the 3s to 132-8, Lindow all out 83 in reply as five of our six bowlers took wickets.

As for the men, the over 40’s sixth defeat of the season on Weds dealt a fatal blow to any lingering hopes of a title challenge as they were well beaten by Div 2 leaders Ashley Veterans.

However the main action of the weekend saw much happier news, especially on Saturday when all three sides won. I was at Grappenhall to score the 1s game, a match they had to win after such a barren July with only 10 pts taken from three defeats. We arrived to a verdant scene but I noted that the boundaries seemed to be about as far back as they could possibly be all around the ground, something that was later revealed to be part of Grappers tactics to contain our batsmen. It kind of worked too, as their predominantly spin attack bowled tightly and Dids found the rope just twice in the first 13 overs. Tim changed tempo with a glorious six and looked set for a big contribution before being adjudged to have been caught low down at slip. To Tim’s credit he departed immediately the decision was confirmed (the umpires met and had a lengthy conversation about it) but was clearly most unhappy at having to do so.

Then came the key juncture of the match as, big boundaries or no, Nick combined with Joe to add a gloriously imperious 120 in an hour, Nick 10x4 and 2x6, Joe three of each in his best league knock of the year. The pair looked a class apart and Nick in particular was cross with himself for a sloppy dismissal, part of a sequence where the last six wkts went in four overs for just 13 runs. 241 was okay, I thought, but given that a declaration looked likely at one point, it was some way shy.

The skipper, however, thought differently. “That’s a good score on that pitch” he told me with quiet confidence during the interval, and not for the first time he was proven to be absolutely correct as two Grappers players were quickly on their way. Tom MacRury is a real bums-on-seats bat, and he clattered two enormous sixes early on (one just missed my car!) but was soon a third victim for the General fencing at a typical Liam delivery, and the steady procession thus pleasingly continued. Arav Shetty was proving immovable and there was sporting if muted congratulations on reaching his ton from our guys, who were shortly afterwards celebrating his dismissal and 24 very welcome pts after a comedy “yes-no-yes-no-I told you” with the last man.

Nick cut a satisfied figure sitting in the sun with a post-match beer. “One we had to win but once we had that total I was confident we would, I loved the way the guys stuck at it with the ball and in the field, and we earned it. It’s been a tough month but with those two wins we can go into next week with our heads up. Hyde will always be as tough as it gets and we will have to be at our absolute best, but it’s all set up for us.”

It was much more straightforward for Ryans 2s at home to Stockport Georgians, the skipper left utterly bemused at the toss after SG won it and opted to field first! “It was totally inexplicable, asking us to bat in glorious conditions and a flat wicket. I had to pretend like it was a perfectly sensible decision! Evan and Jack Airey got off to another good start (JE writes – by ‘good start’ read a fourth century opening stand of the season, 121 in 28 overs, and the second of the season against SG). Evan was bowled for 44, Jack got to a superb 92 (JA last 4 inns = 122*, 29, 52, 92). The only surprising thing about Hasto’s 70* was no sixes but he and (Chris) Becker had SG on their knees, 89 off the last 10 taking us to 283 which they were never going to chase. J Bidder was sharp again, got three early ones, and had we not dropped 5 catches it would have been all over casanova much sooner. Raza absolutely suffocated them (10.4-3-13-4).”

Now to tales of derring-do, and of a triumphant Rehmani who is wreathed in smiles still after a thoroughly glorious and deeply, deeply satisfying 1 wkt win for the 2As at league leaders Timperley. The full report from His Eminince himself is an epistological tour-de-force but for reasons of space and discretion must be edited for this website. A donation to the club will secure you your own personal, unexpurgated version but here is Rehmani with what went down at downtown Timpers.

“A roller-coaster day, with many highs and lows but at the end it was a satisfying pay-back after the T20 game, the first league game, and some of the less palatable things I observed during this one. A nice day for cricket at the start, with one very short square boundary, the other is on the other side of the world, with very flat deck. I was teased at the toss as their skipper reminded me of us being not able to chase against them throughout the season. Flat deck, paradise for batsman and lots of struggle to bowl, but what a great first spell with SEB taking their 2 wickets, and 2 more in his second spell. I must admit there were some heated conversations as we bowled, and I do not mean the heat from sun, I felt we were denied a couple of clear wickets.”

"With having only two spinners, we managed to restrict them at 232. At one point it felt like they were going to score 260+ as they were 190 in 40 overs with just 5 wickets down, but we got back into game with just conceding 40 runs in last 10 overs. A great effort from our guys."

"Here comes the second session, our two Toms were looking great, and Timperley had to change their bowlers as they struggled to breakthrough. And then T. Brady got out at 53, second goes T. Beresford who came down the wicket to their captain and got stumped. 71-2, Adam/Marcus pair was looking well controlled before Adam couldn’t clear long on where the bowler intentionally put two deep fielders out for him. Soon after a terrible call from Saad got Marcus run out and soon after Saad was back to dressing room. So we saw a typical 2As collapse, and from 108-2 in 21 overs to 179-8 in 36 overs - painful. 54 off 84 was the equation but only 2 wickets in hand."

"Timperley was all over the ground and started their celebration of winning another game early, but OG Jnr & Seb played beautifully and added 26 in 38 balls. The OG fell, well played, but 205-9 in 42.3, and champagne on ice in the Timperley camp. But I was so determined, and with Seb playing really well we got the runs, 28 in 31 balls brings a much-needed victory. Hitting the first ball I faced off their captain for six was hugely enjoyable for me, I am still smiling at the memory. It’s our cricket revenge for those other losses, and to snatch it and see the expressions on the fielders faces as things changed, I will remember this!"

My 18* from 11 at 11 was good for me, but what a great all-round performance from Seb, four wickets and an ice-cool 30*. What a talent DCC has, and another junior knocking on the door on Saturday senior cricket with lots of inspiration, energy, motivation and calmness while chasing down the score on 9/10th wicket partnership. Not a single bad shot, fully composed. Despite the usual 2As batting stumble, I was so proud of our guys – we appealed for a catch but the ball hit the ground and our fielder told the batsman its not out; secondly a short run called by umpire Marcus, and LBW was given as well though we were losing regular wickets. A great day, a great performance, Timperley on top for long spells but in the last 15 overs patience brought good things and some payback for us.”

So to Sunday, and the headline act of Mike Corbett and Adam Slater (our picture this week) with a 168 opening partnership as the 3s chased down the 231 set by Georgians in stunning fashion, winning by 9 wkts with some 9 overs unused. It was batting as glorious as the weather as Adam in particular made good on his own personal undertaking not to get out cheaply twice in a weekend, as was revealed to me later by a rightly-delighted Slater snr.

As I umpired almost all of the game (memo to JB -please notify me of any change to start times in future) I had the best view of all of what became a day for the batters. Muizz Ishaq whacked 11 boundaries in his carefree-53 (he told me how much he had enjoyed batting the day before for their 2s) and 97-1 after 17 it was looking ominous. To restrict it to just a further 130ish represented a spirited effort from the 3s, but every loose ball got punished as well as several half-decent ones, the ball fizzing away on a rapid outfield.

Pleasingly, a composed and ordered response from our openers soon saw the continuation of this, 60 on the board within 7 overs as Adam in particular peppered the boundary. SG’s heads seemed to drop quite early – it’s certainly the quietest I’ve known it on the field at that early stage of a game – and Mike and Adam took full toll, well judged singles and nicely placed boundary shots seeing the board whizz round. Having been carelessly dropped with the score in the 90s, Mike finally fell for an excellent 73, but Adam went on to a well deserved and very well made 100 in the 29th over, loud applause and cheers from a good gathering as he crashed more boundaries, finishing 128*. I will stick my neck out at this stage and say that from an initial brief records trawl it is likely to be the highest opening partnership in Sunday Prem cricket by a side batting second, certainly since all Sunday cricket became 80 over games.

Anyway JB, who was one of several regulars unavailable for this match, purred fulsomely from his tax domicile “yep, win our games from here on in and we win the title, what a turnaround. But there is a long way to go, and our game with Sale next week even bigger than usual.” And stand-in skip Mike was equally full of praise for Adam’s knock and his bowlers – “taking 8 wkts on that deck was some achievement” he said, and rightly so, as it gave Dids the crucial 12 pts.

The 4s lost at Bramhall by 2 wkst but are still well in the mix for the title. And Jack was by no means downhearted. “Absolutely not, no! It was a thriller for the 4s. A terrific start with us batting first and get 53 on the board in just the 9th over. The steady gain of runs was muted by the steady loss of wickets however, and at 125-6 with 10 to go, we lost three wickets in one over to cut short what could've been a great last push. We were outstanding with the ball, genuinely brilliant. Their innings followed a similar pattern and wickets fell steadily. The Spin Twins of Xavi (10-2-29-2) and Usman (10-1-28-2) were special. Two magic catches from Zohaib and Xavi, the former diving to his left at full stretch and the latter taking it onehanded over his head. Taking it to the very last over, an effort that saw us bowl 39.4 overs and only give away 5 extras and one bye, Bramhall crawled over the line. Incredible effort from a team of juniors who are mostly 14 vs a lot of 16-18 year old lads who are playing 2nd XI cricket for Bramhall.”

Shabih Shah again played a starring role for Simon’s 5s, boshing a rapid 60 as Woodley were easily beaten by 7 wkts. Shah Zeb was the pick of the bowlers with 4-44 as the 5s made it seven wins in a row, leaders Metrovicks coming a cropper an added bonus as the gap between them and the 5s is down to 18 pts…and the two meet next Sunday!

Chris’s Knights went down by 78 runs at leaders Lindow in Div 4. An impressive 4-28 from Ben Brown was the bowling highlight but chasing 200 to win was a tall order and an after an opening stand of 41 not much else to cheer as the Knights were dismissed for 121. But over in Div 3 East, after three losses in a row, the Wanderers steadied the ship and in some style, beating league leaders Macclesfield by 63 runs. A delighted and relieved Paul said “I lost the toss, got stuck in on a dodgy Glazebury track and recovered from 6/2 to post a humongous 230. Good contributions for myself, Aaron and Mooed with Ankur falling just short of well deserved maiden Didsbury 50. Naz Anjum took advantage of a short boundary to hit massive bombs in his superb 69 including six sixes - his first Dids 50. We managed to lose 5 balls, always a good thing for the batting team."

"Abby beautifully cleaned out their opener with the first ball of their innings, and then we turned the screw with tight fielding. Good catching from across the team helped the bowlers, with all chipping in with wickets. Mark Helsby the pick with a brilliant 4 wickets, with Connor, Jamie, Moeed and Abby combining to earn an excellent win.”

Thanks as ever to all the information sent through, and to all those who have played, scored, and supported. It’s a pleasure to read through all that has gone on and it is very good for the soul! However I am doing something as good for the soul next week, namely taking a holiday, so there will be no round-up for a couple of weeks (unless someone else wants to do one).