Cricket: Oulton Park’s title ambition is in Chester Boughton Hall’s hands

Sep 10 2009 by Alec Doyle, Chester Chronicle

Cricket: Oulton Park’s title ambition is in Chester Boughton Hall’s hands

OULTON Park stand on the brink of winning the Premier Division title – and they will be hoping old rivals Chester Boughton Hall can give them a helping hand for the second weekend running.

The tightest title race in the history of the Premier Division has come down to the final Saturday of the season, with table-topping Park facing fellow contenders Nantwich. Boughton Hall – who last week secured their top-flight survival by beating Nantwich – travel to second-placed Bowdon intent on taking another big scalp.

Park will need to take 21 points from Nantwich if Bowdon secure the maximum 25 points against Chester.

Nantwich can also finish top – but they need a 25-point victory while restricting Oulton Park to 10 points and hoping Bowdon draw with 15 points or less.

Park took over at the summit on Saturday after a comfortable victory over Hyde at Pinfold Lane.

Skipper Nathan Dumelow again showed his team the way to do it with 3-31, supported by Chris Jones (3-39) as Hyde fell for 189.

In reply, Park’s batsmen cantered to 195-5 (Jonny Kettle 52, Ben Spendlove 48, Louis Bentley 46no).

Boughton Hall sealed their place in next season’s Premier Division with a magnificent five-wicket win over Nantwich.

Alex Kegg and Ashley Shaw bowled well and Chris Connolly returned from Lancashire duty to take the wicket of New Zealand Test ace Lou Vincent cheaply as Nantwich declared on 225-6. But Aussie Hayden Butterworth played his innings of the season to score 79no, backed up by Warren Goodwin (45) and Trevor Fabien (43).

Hall skipper Jim Gillson said: “We worked hard in the week as we knew we didn’t want to go to Bowdon needing anything. Everything just came together on the day.

“We are really determined to go out on a high though. The atmosphere after the Nantwich game was amazing and no disrespect to Bowdon, we really want to win and carry that good feeling through the winter.”