HYDE finished runners up as they were pipped by Didsbury for the Cheshire County Cricket League’s ECB premier division title.
There was disappointment at the Werneth Low club which had topped the table for most of the campaign only to slip up on the home strait.
Two defeats on their last three matches, notably a home loss to Oxton, cost Hyde the title as one further win would have seen them crowned champions.
Finishing second was a great achievement because 12 months earlier the team had been battling relegation.
Danny Cranmer, in his first season as captain, said: “It was disappointing to falter at the final hurdle, but remarkable when we look back at the season to see what we achieved.
“Our most optimistic forecast at the start of the season was top four with such a young side, half of which was Under-20.
“There were some who though we would be in the same situation as last season, a relegation dogfight, but I was always positive we would be okay.
“But I did not see us being as consistent as we were until the last three games.”
Cranmer added the home defeat to Oxton with three games left effectively ended their title hopes.
Chasing a modest 211, Hyde’s batting collapsed as they were bowled out for 116.
“We had batted second in about 90 per cent of our games and done well. This was the only time we showed naivety,” he explained.
Hyde also lost to Neston in the next game which meant Didsbury were champions before their last game when they beat Bowdon by 117 runs after posting an impressive 364-run total.
Cranmer added Hyde registered as many wins as champions Didsbury who prospered by winning far more bonus points.
“We lost twice to Alderley Edge and lost and had a losing draw against Nantwich. The key is to try and stay in games and pick up bonus points,” he continued.
“The young players will be all the better for the experience and hopefully will have learned from some of the errors made.
“If we can keep the team together, there is no reason why we cannot kick off and have another good season.”
Cranmer also pointed out they played much of the season without two key players.
Wicketkeeper/batsman Adam Worrall snapped his Achilles tendon running for a quick single midway through the campaign while right-arm seam bowler Ben Balderson barely played through injury.
Hyde had some very good individual performances as Andrew Jackson topped the premier division bowing averages – he took 57 league wickets and 64 overall.
Cranmer was fifth in the averages with 53 league wickets and 67 in all competitions.
And Luke Young, returning after a disappointing season at Chester Broughton Hall was third in the batting averages with 880 in the league and more than 1,000 overall.
Charlie Barnard and Keshana Fonseca have both appeared for Lancashire seconds in their debut seasons in the county’s academy.
Barnard, 17, recently claimed 10 wickets in a second team game against Yorkshire while Fonseca, 16, has made one county appearance.
• There has been silverware for Hyde U17s who triumphed in the T20 Finals Day at Warrington.
The team, captained by Charlie Harris, defeated Bramhall in the semi-finals and the hosts in the final.
Liam Grindley, who has represented Hyde’s second team, won the league’s outstanding performance award for juniors after earlier in the season scoring centuries for the club in U15 and U16 sides in consecutive games.
Two other key players in the side were Haider Hussain who starred for the North of England U15s in the ECB Bunbury Festival and Zak Kelly, 14, who has played age group cricket for Derbyshire.