Cheshire recover from bad start

Nathan Dumelow made an unbeaten 80 for Cheshire at Alderley Edge © David Bailey

Stand-in skipper Nathan Dumelow and James Duffy led a spirited fightback as Minor Counties champions Cheshire found life tough going on the opening day of their three-day Championship clash with Oxfordshire at Alderley Edge Cricket Club.

Dumelow, in charge of the county side in the absence of regular skipper Andy Hall, hit an unbeaten 80 and Duffy starred with 61 as the hosts battled back after a nervy start to finish the first day on 187 for six from 44 overs.

Having won the toss and elected to bat, Cheshire were struggling at nought for two and seven for three. Debutant James McCoy was dismissed second ball, while Nick Cantello - back in the side after a long absence - perished in the third over without troubling the scorers.

And things went from bad to worse when Ben Spendlove was caught behind in the sixth over.

Although opener Chris Davies was out in the 15th over to leave Cheshire in real trouble at 41 for four, it was Dumelow and Duffy who dug in with an important fifth-wicket partnership of 76 to start the fightback.

Left-hander Duffy was eventually out with the score at 116, his 66-ball innings lasted 75 minutes and included one six and nine fours.

Cheshire lost their next wicket on 148 when Jason Whittaker was out for 10, but wicketkeeper Matthew Dawson stayed with Dumelow until the close of play as the pair shared in an unbeaten seventh wicket partnership of 39.

With Dan Berry - one of Cheshire's match-winners at Chester Boughton Hall a fortnight ago - Chris Finegan and Adam Syddall still to bat, Cheshire will hope they can make full use of their 46 remaining overs.

The start of the match was delayed due to heavy rain and, when the players were finally due to start at 2.15pm following an early lunch, the heavens opened once again to halt proceedings.

Play finally got underway at 4.30pm, although there was one further delay when bad light brought the players off at 64 for four for a short time.

Before the match Cheshire's opening batsman Warren Goodwin was forced to withdraw having broken a finger in midweek playing for the Minor Counties representative side, with fellow opener Danny Leech unavailable for selection due to work commitments. Skipper Hall was also absent because of work commitments.

Debutant McCoy was given his chance alongside Oxton's Davies, who has been Cheshire's 12th man for some time now, and Bramhall's Cantello. The three were the only three significant changes to the county side.