14/09/2026
Senior Match Reports - Saturday 12th September 2026
Norley Hall Bounce Back in Style
Norley Hall’s first team bounced back with a convincing victory at home on Saturday.
Welcoming Cheshire Lines to City Road, a major team effort from the volunteer grounds team and the first team squad to protect key playing areas during the back end of the week, along with kinder than predicted weather during the morning period, saw the game begin on time at midday.
Home skipper Callam Hughes won the toss and, mindful of needing maximum bonus points, elected to bat first in what seemed to be damp, bowler friendly late season conditions.
Opening batters Alex Martlew and Colin Parrott got the team off to steady start. Martlew in particular looked to be carrying on his fine form of the week before until he was adjudged leg before wicket for 19. When Colin Parrott edged behind, then the innings could have teetered at 31-2. Hughes, moving up the order, stabilised the situation with Shah Afridi until the skipper was caught in the slips to make the score 59-3.
With the visitors eyeing a chance to make further inroads, Afridi and Matthew Hayes extinguished any such hopes with an assured 4th wicket partnership of 135. The two batters styles complemented each other but both were watchful when required and showed sound shot selection alongside effective running between the wickets. Afridi brought up a very well deserved first century for the club to the delight of the watching spectators – his celebration and then moment of quiet reflection showing how much the moment meant to him also.
With the threat of some rain after 5pm, Afridi was eventually caught behind for 113 as he looked to get his team to maximum batting points as quickly as possible. Hayes meanwhile reached his deserved stylish half century and found support from Charlie Benson as Hughes was able to declare on 220-5 in 49.4 overs. Hayes finishing unbeaten on 54.
After tea, Norley home team opening pace bowlers Ryan Wood and Liam Martlew roared in looking to take early wickets without initial success. Both stuck to their task manfully however and wickets started to fall. Wickets then continued to go down at regular intervals as they took the first 7 wickets. After a run out, Robert Collier took a wicket with his first ball as wicketkeeper Hayes took a sharp caught behind chance stood up to the stumps. The visitors are in a relegation fight and every point was vital to them. Their 10th wicket partnership rallied to get 100 and a first batting point before Callum Martlew struck with his second ball to secure a Norley Hall victory by 120 runs as Cheshire Lines were all out for 100 in 26.2 overs. Wood was the star bowler with figures of 5-52 in a spell of genuine hostility. Liam Martlew took 2-29, Collier 1-19 and Callum Martlew 1-0.
With most other relevant results being favourable to Hughes and his team, they go back to the top of the table with one game to go. They go to Whitefield next Saturday knowing that there is still a lot of work to be done and taking nothing for granted.
Also on Saturday, Keiron Ashcroft took his second team to play over at higher placed Hightown St. Mary’s. Asked to bat first, Ashcroft’s team made 203-8 declared in 46 overs. There was a notable contribution from Gareth Cottom (27) whilst Haroon Naseri continued his recent fine form with 33. A special mention however must go to Minhaz Pathan (58) and Tehzeem Galgalia (20) who batted with great application to help the team to an above average score.
In reply, the Norley bowlers took wickets regularly until the hosts decided to drop anchor and go for the draw. Hightown finishing on 137-7 in 39 overs. Ashcroft took 2-19, Mo Kapadia 2-30 and there was a wicket apiece for James Woodcock (1-30) and Aston Bailey (1-20)
