Cheshire County League

CHRISTLETON are up and running in Vivio Cheshire County League Division Two after a convincing derby win over TATTENHALL.

Christleton’s decision to bat on a grey day at the Flacca looked set to be a good one after Josh Morgan Jones made a fluent 51.

But a superb piece of fielding by Andy Styan led to Jones’s opening partner Tom Wells being run out and the introduction of Dave Shewring (4-36) brought control after an erratic first few overs.

But 44 from Matt Astbury and 38 from Muhmmed Zain-Ul-Abidin ensured Christleton posted an improved 199.

Connor Windell (2-34) and Styan (2-62) took two wickets apiece for Tattenhall, whose reply got off to an ominous start when Joe Prince was out on the first ball.

And, while captain Stuart Sadler (33) did his best, he lost a succession of partners to loose shots and the innings was wrapped up in the 25th over.

Tattenhall were skittled for just 88, 111 runs short of their target, with Shavaiz Saif (3-15), Joshua Joseph (3-28) and Zaighum Abbas (3-30) doing most of the damage.

BARROW stretched their lead at the top to 15 points with a thrilling two-wicket triumph at home to Brooklands.

Iroshan de Silva (101no) scored his second successive century to steal the show again.

But once more he was helped by his captain and opening partner Alex Reid (69)

They put on 165 for the first wicket and, while the runs dried up thereafter, Barrow looked well set on 228-8.

But Brooklands certainly gave them a run for their money, reaching 226 before their last man was snaffled by Maneesha Ayomal Nissanka (3-48) with the final delivery of the match.

Phil Johnson was Barrow’s top wicket taker with 4-60.

ALVANLEY moved up to second with an entertaining winning draw at home to bogey side Stockport.

A crisp 79-run stand between Si Gee (50) and captain Andy Bennion (35) lifted Alvanley from 103-5 to 205 after Michael Rowlands (17), Stephen Charles (19), Ian McDermott (20) and Chris Wright (30) were skittled.

Billy Ouzinidis (2-14) removed both of Stockport’s openers and Ste Charles (2-32) nipped in with a cracker before a 73-run partnership put the game back on an even keel.

Rowlands (3-50) then claimed the key wicket of Danny Barber, who had hit a run-a-ball 58, before a tame passage followed.

But, out of nowhere, a flurry of shots came as the visitors strove for the win.

That, however, also led to further wickets for Rowlands, Charles and the excellent Lee Ainsworth (2-43), who put an end to Stockport’s victory hopes and gave Alvanley a chance of a third win of the season.

But, ultimately, they had to settle for a winning draw after their opponents held on at 176-9.

Alvanley head to Barrow this Saturday for a table-topping clash while Christleton host Romiley and Tattenhall travel to Brooklands.

OULTON PARK will welcome Marple to Little Budworth on the back of their first defeat of the Division One campaign last weekend.

Park went down by 161 runs at home to Bollington, who set 236 (Ben Gibbon 3-51, Matt Parkinson 3-53) and then bowled their previously unbeaten opponents out for just 75 (Martin East 30).

Cheshire County League

CHESTER BOUGHTON HALL snatched defeat from the jaws of victory as they slumped to a loss at Bramhall in the Vivio Cheshire County League Premier Division on Saturday.

Seemingly cruising at 162-3 in reply to 221-7, Ross Dixon’s side proceeded to lose five wickets for just two runs.

And, although Will Owen (24) and Sam Mallows (11no) briefly threatened a rousing finale, they eventually fell 19 runs short as they were bowled out for 202.

With Rick Moore smashing 70, Lee Dixon 53 and Warren Goodwin 30, Bramhall had practically resigned themselves to defeat. But, ultimately, their score, inspired by Alex Wilde (96), proved enough.

NESTON moved up to fifth and within one place of Hall with a convincing eight-wicket victory at home to Hyde.

Hyde recovered from 138-8 to post 228-9 with Ash Davies (3-57), Matt Stewart (2-39) and James Claxon (2-55) taking the lion’s share of the wickets.

But Neston had no problems in reply thanks to a superb unbeaten third-wicket stand worth 173 runs between David Hurst (96no) and Dom Smith (76no).

The following day Hall booked their place in the third round of the Royal London Club Championship with a fine seven-wicket success at Neston. Set 209 (Simon Stokes 91; Ross Dixon 3-38, Robin Fisher 3-45), Harry Killoran (89no) and opener Ollie Law (80) shared a third-wicket stand of 136 to guide the Filkins Lane outfit to 211-3 and a clash with Northern.

This Saturday, Hall host Nantwich and Neston entertain Bowdon.

Cheshire League

A BATTING collapse cost SAUGHALL as they slumped to their first defeat of the UKFast Cheshire League Division Five season.

Fellow high-flyers Bowden batted first and, despite losing their opener, who was caught sharply at slip by Matty Leek, they recovered with some elegant stroke play from Karthik Rajaman (40).

A flurry of wickets from Tony Roberts (2-26) and skipper Alen Roberts (2-29), including a couple of excellent catches in the deep by Matty Pierce, left Saughall firmly on top, the scoreboard reading 113-6 with just 10 overs to go.

Iain Johnson (23) and Joel Wesley (17) added a run-a-ball 42 but some good death bowling by Mike Andrews (2-57) and Chris Andrews (2-38) ensured Bowden finished on 163-8.

However, it could have been a lot less if the hosts had capitalised on three gilt-edged run-out chances.

If fortune favoured the brave in Bowden’s innings, everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong in Saughall’s reply.

Ben Salisbury (3) and Chris Andrews (9) were already unbuckling their pads when in-form Adam Griffiths (1) was bowled via an inside edge and the heel of his left boot.

Martin Huxley (14) and Tony Roberts (0) both received rare bad balls but smashed full tosses straight to the grateful hands of mid-wicket and Saughall were 23-5 after 16 disastrous overs.

Nick Ballard (2) and Matty Pierce (7) looked to steady the ship but Nomaan Hasan (3-5) and Harry Mills (4-9) ensured the rearguard action was too little, too late.

On Eurovision day, Saughall scored an emphatic ‘nil points’ for their batting display, bowled out for just 43.

And, to make matters worse, Bowden leapfrogged them to go top of the table.

FRODSHAM (103-2) were eight-wicket winners at Heaton Mersey Village (102).

WESTMINSTER PARK moved up to second in Division Four with an 118-run win at home to Glazebury, who were skittled for 90 (Sandeep Yadala 4-38) in reply to 208 (Saad Q 30, Rohit Rana 30).

Cheshire League

KINGSLEY maintained their perfect start to the UKFast Cheshire League Division Two season with a three-wicket win at Ashley.

Hayden Lanza, with 63no from 50 balls, swept the table-toppers to 206-7 after being set 203-7 (Adrian Burden 3-28).

OAKMERE (141-6) are up to fourth after a four-wicket victory at Heaton Mersey (139), Cj Van Der Walt the star of the show with 83 with the bat and 4-20 with the ball.

BUNBURY (146) lost by 39 runs at home to Woodford (185-9) despite the best efforts of Danny Roberts (4-22) and D Pollitt (34).

CHOLMONDELEY enjoyed a thumping 138-run win at home to Aston in Division Three.

Ben Pearce (80no), Patrick Gada (56) and captain Brett Bala (47) let loose as Chom posted 200-6 before Richard Cooke (4-14) and Co ripped through Aston for 62.

CHESTER COUNTY OFFICERS suffered a 39-run home loss to Langley.

CCO were all out for 183 (Dave Downham 59) in reply to 222 (Kris Green 4-44).

Cheshire CCC

CHESHIRE cruised into the quarter-finals of the Unicorns KO Trophy as they crushed Herefordshire by 151 runs at Alderley Edge.

Batting first, there were runs for Alderley Edge’s Callum Rowe (68), Chester Boughton Hall’s Rick Moore (51) and Leek’s Wayne White (42).

But Cheshire took their time before coming to the boil and there were some fine late knocks from Nantwich’s Ollie Freckingham (21) and Formby’s James Seward (31).

The home side’s 261-6 felt an imposing total from 45 overs and so it proved with a fine bowling performance led by Chester Boughton Hall’s Jack Williams (4-17).

There were two wickets, too, for debutant Freckingham and Toft’s Rob Jones as Herefordshire were restricted to 110.

“I felt it was a professional performance,” said Cheshire skipper Lee Dixon of Chester Boughton Hall.

“I was really pleased for Callum (Rowe) on his home ground and to restrict the opposition to 110 was a great bowing performance.

“Ollie Freckingham had a fine debut and Jack Williams’ leg spin caused all sorts of problems.”

The win means Cheshire set-up a shoot-out with Staffordshire this Sunday to top the group and get home advantage in the last eight.

Cheshire Women's League

After two defeats, followed by a first win in their third match when they still weren’t at their best, CHESTER BOUGHTON HALL (46-0; Ali Cutler 24no) really kick-started their Cheshire Women’s League season in their fourth match with a devastating win at Southport Trinity (45; Kate Coppack 6-15).