Cheshire County League

Chester Boughton Hall got their season off to a record-breaking start as they thumped Premier League rivals Neston by 227 runs at Filkins Lane.

And the undoubted stars of the show were Lee Dixon (169) and Warren Goodwin (128) who shared a sensational third-wicket stand.

They rattled off 338 runs from 271 balls as Chester recovered from 1-2 to post 367-5; a tally that, like the Dixon-Goodwin partnership, is a Vivio Cheshire County League record.

The outcome may have been different had Neston held on to some further early chances.

Returning paceman Ash Davies (3-78) bagged the wickets of Rick Moore and Nick James, both without scoring, to leave Hall reeling.

But Dixon took on the attack in aggressive style while Goodwin set about quietly compiling his runs.

With the ship steadied at 70-2 eight overs later, both accelerated in dramatic style.

Dixon struck 26 fours and three sixes in his career best 169, which matched the total he scored for Cheshire against Northumberland three years ago, while Goodwin’s 12 boundaries, comprising seven fours and five sixes, belied the significance of his innings.

Both latterly threw away their wickets in the pursuit of late runs to give debut skipper Ross Dixon the opportunity to declare.

Neston were facing an uphill struggle and their hopes were hit further when spinner Harry Killoran (3-30) took the prized scalp of Will Evans in the first over of the reply.

Jack Williams (2-42) had David Hurst caught behind and Will Owen (2-22) accounted for Simon Stokes shortly after.

Alex Money weighed in with 3-19 as Neston were bowled out for 140.

The following day Chester booked their place in the second round of the ECB National Club Championship with a four-wicket win at Wigan.

Hall, captained by Owen, snaffled Wigan up for 155, with Charlie Fleet (3-16) and Ross Dixon (2-19) doing most of the damage, before reaching 156-6 with 44 from Moore and a fine seventh-wicket partnership between Killoran (32) and Williams (30).

Chester’s reward is a trip to Neston, who were 22-run winners at New Brighton, who were dismissed for 258 (Prithvi Sarvaiya 4-54) after being set 280-7 (David Hurst 61, Dom Smith 54).

This Saturday, Hall head to newly promoted Grappenhall, while Neston host Cheadle.

Cheshire County League

Alvanley began the Vivio Cheshire County League Division Two season with a six-wicket victory at neighbours Christleton.

A glorious day and fabulous outfield and pitch greeted the teams and Alvanley skipper Chris Charles decided that the best course of action would be to invite the hosts to bat first.

Charles (0-46) and fellow opening bowler Billy Ouzinidis (2-58) started well, hitting good lengths and giving little away.

But it was a change of bowling that brought wickets.

Lee Ainsworth (1-17) bowled Tom Wells for 11 and his frugal spell was worthy of further captures.

Instead the lion’s share of the wickets went the way of Jimmy Ecclestone (5-31), who bowled a full length to tear through the middle order and leave Christleton reeling at 88-7.

Ste Charles (1-27) had chipped in with a wicket, well snaffled at slip. However, there was to be a dramatic twist in this innings.

The lower order decided to take a chance and 48 from Muhmmed Zain-Ul-Abidin, 37 from Nick O’Connell and 35 from Asif Shavaiz hauled Christleton up to 212.

Mike Rowlands (53) and Ste Charles (42) calmed any Alvanley nerves with an imperious 105-run stand for the first wicket.

Debutant Kiwi Jonno Whitley hit 17 and showed promise before Chris Wright (43no) and Si Gee (27) shared 60 runs for the third wicket.

A few tight overs meant that the game went down to the wire.

But Wright and Andy Bennion (8no) remained cool, finding the boundary and scampering singles to see their side to 214-4 with three balls to spare.

This Saturday, Alvanley host Mobberley, while Christleton head to Brooklands.

Cheshire County League

Tattenhall got their Vivio Cheshire County League Division Two campaign under way with a hard-fought draw at Northwich.

Captain Stuart Sadler won the toss and fielded as Andy Styan took the new ball on debut with Alan Brock.

Styan provided the first wicket with a smart run out on 23 but this brought Sri Lankan Chandrika Wathukarage to the crease.

He put on 98 with Lee Evans (49) with some superb shots before falling to Ryan Spann (2-43) for a classy 68.

Only the control of Mel Dobson (0-26 off 13 overs) gave Sadler and Tattenhall some control as Northwich tried to increase the scoring rate.

Eventually they had to settle for 210-7 after Brock (4-68) picked up useful late wickets.

Tattenhall had a good opportunity to exploit an inexperienced opening attack but they were unable to capitalise as they found themselves 37-3 in the 11th over.

Glenn Coppack (57no) was settling in for a long stay but had trouble building partnerships until at 122-7 he was joined by Styan, who completed a fine all-round match with 41no from only 32 balls.

He punished width and eased the pressure as Tattenhall were able to finish up on 181-7 at the close.

Coppack had batted for two and a half hours to hold the innings together and he will need better support from those around him in order to win matches.

Tattenhall will hope to do that this Saturday when they welcome Bredbury St Marks to the Flacca.

Barrow had to be content with a draw after a tense finish at Bredbury last weekend.

The hosts put on 204-9 from their 50 overs despite the best efforts of Uzayr Parker (4-81).

Barrow reached 201-0 in response, Peter Johnson hitting 59, Maneesha Ayomal Nissanka 44 and Alex Reid 39.

Barrow host Lindow this Saturday.

Oulton Park, meanwhile, got their Division One promotion push off to a perfect start as they ran out five-wicket winners at Urmston.

Muhammad Kashif (4-53) and Martin East (3-43) did most of the damage as Urmston were restricted to 195-9 before Dan Leech (43), Pat Roberts (39) and Ben Gibbon (39) fired Park to 199-5 and a victory that will leave them in confident mood going into this Saturday’s home clash with Upton.

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Cheshire League

Saughall opened their 2017 campaign and life in the UKFast Cheshire League with a crunching 122-run victory at sun-kissed Mellor.

The visitors were inserted to bat on a slow pitch and got off to a solid start thanks to Ben Salisbury (20) and the inventive James Huxley (33). Adam Griffiths was the star of the show, though, scoring a sublime 77.

Tony Roberts (16) and Tate Beaumont (5no) then swung with gusto in the dying overs as Saughall reached 166-5.

The new ball pair ripped through Mellor’s top

order with canny left-armer Roberts (4-14) the magician and Shaun Watts (2-16) his glamorous assistant.

With the scoreboard reading 25-6, Saughall skipper Alen Roberts then shuffled his pack, and it paid off with leg-spinner Griffiths (3-4) following up his earlier runs with three wickets.

Jon Sweeney, playing his first game for the club in more than 20 years, grabbed the other wicket to fall as Mellor were dismissed for 44.

Chris McCarney took three sharp catches behind the stumps including a brilliant one-handed diving effort that typified Saughall’s fielding.

Skipper Roberts, who side entertain Hartford on Saturday, said: “It was a good all-round team performance. We batted sensibly, bowled the ball in the right areas and took every catch. I couldn’t ask for more.”

Elsewhere in Division Five, Malpas marked their return to league cricket with a gutsy draw at Frodsham, who set 177-8 (Gavin Houghton 34; Thomas Jacks 4-30) and then could not stop their opponents from holding on at 121-7 (Mike Parry 38, Alex Earl 38; Gregory Pidgeon 2-11, James Ennis 2-25).

Westminster Park (93) suffered a 19-run Division Four defeat at Tranmere Victoria (112), Sayad Ahmed (4-19) their top bowler.

Cheshire League

Kingsley got their UKFast Cheshire League Division One season up and running with a seven-wicket success at home to Bunbury.

Adrian Burden (8-27) took a stunning eight-wicket haul as Bunbury were dismissed for 105 (D Pollitt 29) before Haris Yassin (36) and Kieron Ollier (34no) swept Kingsley to 106-3 inside 17 overs.

Oakmere were four-wicket winners at Chelford, chasing down 100 (CJ Van Der Walt 3-7) when reaching 103-6 (Van Der Walt 38).

Chester County Officers went down to a 124-run defeat at Maritme, who flayed 220-8 despite the best efforts of Simon Hodgson (4-17).

CCO were then skittled for 96 (Reishon Richards 22).

Cholmondeley suffered a narrow loss at Over Peover, who stopped their opponents 10 runs short on 123 (Patrick Gada 50) in reply to 133 (Gada 3-26, Ed Stoddart 3-29).

Cheshire Women's League

After going through the Cheshire Women’s League season unbeaten last year, champions Chester Bougthon Hall suffered a shock 99-run loss in their 2017 opener at home to Oakmere.

Kerry Hartnett (102no) and Helen Smith (90no) were unbeaten as Oakmere posted 206-0 and then restricted Chester to 107-8.

Sammi Short hit 37, with Emma Tarpey (4-8) and star-of-the-show Hartnett (3-20) the pick of the bowlers.

Cheshire CCC

Captain Lee Dixon, Chester Boughton Hall team-mates Harry Killoran, Rick Moore and Jack Williams, and Neston’s Ash Davies and Will Evans, are in the Cheshire squad for the first Knockout Trophy match of the season against Shropshire at Oxton CC on Sunday.

Cheshire will then take on a Lancashire side in a 50-over friendly at Chester Boughton Hall on Wednesday (11am).