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Sale beat Mobberley

11/ 7/2008

Sale got back into winning ways on Saturday when they beat Mobberley by 129 runs.

Skipper Mike Halkon demanded an improved batting performance from his team after winning the toss and electing to bat, and his side responded positively, with the top four all making solid contributions to a 50 overs total of 257 for 7.

First Dan Halkon and J-P Lee put on 77 for the first wicket in only 14 overs, with all but two of the 13 boundaries coming from powerful drives hit straight or through the covers.

Lee was bowled for 45 and Halkon went soon after for 40, but the left-handers Ian Dixon and John Taylor rallied impressively in a comfortable third wicket partnership of 83 in 22 overs. This kept Sale on course for maximum batting points and it was a surprise when Dixon was bowled for 45 with the score on 173.

The in-form Taylor went on to steer Sale towards their commanding total with a season’s best score of 87 from only 84 balls that included 12 boundaries. He lost four more partners along the way, with Rick Halkon providing the most support in an unbeaten eighth wicket stand of 39.

Sale expected a usually strong Mobberley batting line-up to force the pace in their reply on a good batting track but the bowlers immediately took the initiative.

Lee, in his first bowling spell for three weeks, had Locke caught at the wicket from the first ball of the innings, and not to be outdone Mike Halkon also found an edge to the keeper from his second ball.

Both bowlers kept up the pressure and they took three further wickets in a 12 ball spell that saw the home side reduced to 16 for 5 in the 7th over. Mobberley kept going for their shots with Thompson hitting both bowlers for six but skipper Halkon evened up the wickets tally when he bowled Y Khan at 43 for 6.

The introduction of leg-spinner Rick Halkon made matters worse for the hosts when Sale’s leading wicket-taker spectacularly grabbed three wickets in his first seven balls, two caught off extravagant shots and one clean bowled, sweeping.

With their score at 70 for 9, Burrell and Spiteri added an innings-best stand of 58 in 14 overs that gave Mobberley the chance for a draw. Sale’s frustration was ended by an attempt at a quick single that Dan Halkon seized on at midwicket and ran out Burrell for 37.

The three Sale bowlers each took three wickets to complete a very satisfactory day for all the local team’s top-order players.