HYDE stormed to a comprehensive victory in the Cheshire Cup against Timperley at Werneth Low on Sunday.

Following Saturday’s league washout at home to Neston and a depleted squad with James Duffy, Dan Berry and Chris Tipper all on Cheshire duty, Timperley still failed to impose themselves on a weakened Hyde side.

The visitors’ decision to put their hosts into bat seemed an inspired choice, as Hyde lost both openers within the first five overs for just 13 runs.

The early Timperley bowling attack was restricting Hyde’s batting and Mike Morris and Dave Fitzsimmons were left to churn out runs at a slow rate.

The home side were reduced to 59-4 as Fitzsimmons went for three and Morris a hard-working 37.

It was left to Rob Brierley and Mark Makin to spare the early batting attack’s blushes with a fifth wicket stand of 75.

Good communication with an eye for a four was the key to the partnership surviving as boundaries were scored in all areas.

Lax fielding crept into the visitors’ fielding, enabling singles to keep the scoreboard ticking over, a trait that had not been a feature earlier on. However, the 37th over accounted for both Brierley and Makin, allowing Dan Cranmer and Sam Scannell to take on the attack.

Plenty of sixes and fours lifted the run rate, giving the home side a platform from which to reach what had occasionally seemed an unlikely score of 200.

Cranmer, Scannell and Greg Johnson were all dismissed in the final three overs as Hyde attempted to find the boundary before finishing on 205-9 from 45 overs.

Timperley struggled with the bat from the off, Tom Young and Rob Hurlston causing plenty of problems with ball and making runs hard to come by.

Young ripped through the early batting attack, taking the wickets of Mark Leathley, Mike Rudd and Dominic Ashling in the first seven overs to leave Timperley struggling on 23-3.

Hurlston, Cranmer and Young then took a wicket each to leave the visitors on 42-6, before a partnership emerged for the seventh wicket. Timperley began to reap the rewards of having staying power at the crease, as expensive overs began to creep in.

The away side never took advantage of these situations though, and when Morris broke the partnership with consecutive wickets, it was all downhill for the visitors.

Scannell claimed his first wicket and Morris his third to clear up the tail, and with a man injured in the field earlier, effectively all out for 95 off 29.2 overs.

This victory sets up another crack at Neston on Sunday with all visitors welcome to Werneth Low.

Craig Davies