STAND hosted Stretford at the SCG on Saturday afternoon and notched a much-needed victory.

With conditions perfect for cricket and having won the toss, they elected to field first with the home side bolstered by the inclusion of debutants Rick Rothwell and Farad Ali.

Despite Matt Curphey knocking over Parkinson early, for five runs, the visitors progressed to 50-1 thanks to a determined knock by Chris Laker and some attacking strokes from professional Adam Hewitt.

Curphey and Jack Walmsley were replaced by Ali and Pete Walters respectively and, while the latter kept things tight at one end, Ali followed suit at the other, picking up regular wickets. Hewitt became Ali’s first victim, clean bowled for 19 (50-2).

Grant never looked comfortable and went in the same fashion (78-3) before Ali and Sean Brookes (at mid-off) combined to remove Laker for a well-played 45.

Wickets continued to fall and despite cameos from Holmes (23) and Walmsley (18), the lower order could not live with the pace of Ali and the returning Curphey.

The latter bagged a further brace, while Ali picked up four more to finish with 6-44 from 18 overs as Stretford collapsed from 132-6 to 133 all out.

Walters bowled a tidy spell conceding 38 from 15, with Curphey returning figures of 3-29. Stand’s reply got off to a decent start as newcomer Rothwell looked in good touch and got the crowd going with some sweet strikes down the ground and through the covers.

He departed, caught behind for 19, with the score on 26.

Stand then lost their middle-order cheaply and found themselves in a familiar position this season at 42-6.

But, last week’s partnership builder, Carl Sutcliffe, was at it again and he played a mature innings, taking the attack to the bowlers.

He was well supported by Gary Penchion, who was happy to remain at the crease and get Sutcliffe on strike as often as possible. The pair rescued the home side’s reply, adding a 53-run partnership for the seventh wicket, before Sutcliffe was caught and bowled by a sharp chance offered to Parkinson for a vital 38.

Penchion was joined by Ali and the pair survived a few shaky moments to build what looked like a match-winning partnership.

Penchion was happy to pick up singles, leaving the big shots to Ali. Ali got things going by hitting Parkinson onto Hamilton Road for six.

He then put the final nails in the Stretford coffin, hitting Holmes for three consecutive boundaries, to leave Stand on the verge.

Penchion picked up the two required for victory in an unbeaten 39-run partnership to see Stand home by three wickets. Penchion finished on 17 with Ali making 27 from 26 balls.