Urmston return to winning ways (From Messenger Newspapers)

Urmston return to winning ways

7:19pm Monday 21st May 2012 in Sport

HAVING lost their last three matches, Urmston were boosted by the arrival of their 2012 overseas star, Swapnil Salvi.

Salvi had been voted player of the tournament in the Red Bull Campus Cricket Cup in India in April and had been awarded a sponsored trip to play a season in English cricket.

The Mumbai born batsman only landed at Heathrow at 7am on the morning of the match and, after a quick dash up the motorway, Salvi was tired and cold but ready to perform as Urmston took on Widnes in the ECB Cheshire Premier League.

When skipper, Sumit Panda won the toss and decided to bat he didn’t disappoint the watching crowd as he hit a spectacular 95 off just 61 balls, including seven 4s and six 6s. This was a display of classic shots as well as controlled hitting and showed why he is a very highly thought of prospect in Indian cricket. Salvi was ably supported by Chris Watson (37) and Nick Fawcett (34) as Urmston posted their highest score of the season so far at 244 all out in 55 overs.

This was an excellent Urmston track and Widnes must have thought that they had a chance of chasing down 245 to win. However, not wishing to be outshone by the newly arrived Salvi, Urmston’s Cheshire Minor Counties opening bowler, Adam Syddall, (6/38) found rhythm and movement off the wicket as he tore into the Widnes batting to leave them reeling at 48 for 9 off 20 overs.

It was left to Salvi to deliver the coup de grace as, after a brief Widnes revival, he took the final wicket with just his fifth ball in English cricket.

Urmston CC picked up 25 points from the win and now hope to continue their improvement in a busy week that sees them take on Didsbury (h) in the Cheshire T20 Cup on Thursday night (6pm), visit third placed Marple CC on Saturday in the Cheshire Premier League (12.30pm) and, finally, host Widnes again in the third round of the Cheshire Cup on Sunday (1pm).