Match Report: Church Eaton 1st XI vs Moddershall & Oulton CC

North Staffs & South Cheshire League – Division 4
Date: Saturday 16th August 2025
Venue: Wrekin View
Result: Church Eaton won by 5 wickets

First Innings – Moddershall & Oulton CC (139 all out, 38.2 overs)

Moddershall won the toss & elected to bat first but were kept on the back foot by a sharp Church Eaton bowling performance.

A Veerappan (57 from 86, 8 fours) was the mainstay of the innings, supported briefly by L Price (25) and D Stevenson (15). However, after Veerappan’s dismissal at 113–5, the innings collapsed quickly and the hosts were bowled out for 139 in 38.2 overs.

The standout was skipper Matt White, who ripped through the lower order with 4 for 12 from 6.2 overs. He was backed by Adrian Melbourn (2 for 18) and Matt Burslem (2 for 29), with Ross and Arnold taking one apiece.

Second Innings – Church Eaton CC 1st XI (142–5, 21.4 overs)

In reply, Church Eaton chased with purpose.

Jordan Talbot once again led from the front with a stylish 58 from 70 balls, striking 10 boundaries. He was well supported by a blistering cameo from Dan Smith (31 off 17, 4 fours, 2 sixes), whose explosive hitting broke the back of the chase.

Though wickets fell – Arnold (7), Smith (31), George Burslem (9) and Holdcroft (8) – the result was never in doubt. Matt Burslem (7)* and skipper Matt White (5 off 2)* finished the job, sealing a comfortable 5-wicket win with more than 28 overs to spare.

For Moddershall, A Khalid (3 for 36) was the only real threat with the ball.

Jordan Talbot continues to enjoy a golden run of form. His latest fifty here was followed by a superb century the very next day against Norton-in-Hales, leaving him just 34 runs shy of 1,000 runs for the season. His consistency at the top of the order has been a driving force in Church Eaton’s promotion push.

This victory moves Church Eaton up to 3rd in Division 4, though Audlem sit just one point behind in 4th with a game in hand. The league remains incredibly tight, with just 22 points separating 2nd from 6th place – meaning as many as seven clubs are still in with a realistic shot at promotion with only five games left.

Next week sees Church Eaton return home to face Alsager, a side who have often proved a bogey team in recent seasons. With promotion still very much in sight, the team will be determined to push on, maintain momentum, and stay in the hunt during what promises to be a thrilling run-in.