Vale foiled but keep hope alive

11:23am Monday 18th August 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

Bowdon Vale 161 all out Chester County Officers 137-8

Match drawn

THE Vale hosted fellow relegation strugglers Chester County Officers at Priory Street in a crucial must win game for both sides.

Before the start the Vale had high hopes for a 25-point return to keep their survival hopes alive and gain ground on their rivals but they eventually had to settle for 14 draw points.

Skipper Halsall won the toss and elected to bat first.

Against an ordinary Chester attack, the Vale batting line up proceeded in suicidal fashion, slumping to 42-7 off just 18 overs.

A rearguard recovery was instigated by skipper Halsall, with 25, as the last three wickets added 120 runs and importantly used up the remaining overs.

Shakespeare (31), the returning Darren Rutter (38) and Ascott (15 not out) all sensibly set about rebuilding the Vale innings, taking them to just short of 170 for the maximum batting points.

Chester’s reply followed a similar path to that of the Vale as they were left reeling at 38-5 against the bowling of Halsall and Hasan.

Pownall played an anchor role and along with Johnson brought the visitors back into the game, in deteriorating and wet conditions the game seemed to be slipping away from the Vale.

The fall of Johnson for 47 and Jones for 15, brought an end to the visitors’ run chase as they settled for nine draw points. Halsall bowled a marathon spell of 22 overs returning 3-2, Hasan finishing with 2-28 and Shakespeare 1-28.

Not the points return the Vale had hoped for, nevertheless with four games and 100 points still to play for; survival hopes are still alive and kicking.

The Vale second XI made a fruitless trip to Chester.

The home side were able to complete their innings, before rain intervened and halted the Vale reply after just five overs at 19 for the loss of no wickets. Chester posted 241-6.

The two highlights for the Vale were a return of 5-53 for Ian Willson and three catches behind the stumps by 14-year-old Zac Stevenson in an accomplished wicket-keeping display.