ALVANLEY suffered their first league defeat since July 2010 on Saturday as Tattenhall triumphed in a low-scoring County League game.

The visitors, promoted from the Meller Braggins League last season, fell 20 runs short of victory after they were all out for 117 in reply to Tattenhall’s 136.

It was Alvanley’s first league loss since they were beaten by Hale Barns on July 31, 2010.

Tattenhall were asked to bat first on a soft but even surface.

They soon found themselves struggling at 43-3 when John Gibbon was caught and bowled by Chris Charles.

Jason Davidson (22) steered the innings back on course, albeit briefly, as another clutch of wickets fell.

Spinner Robin Fisher (5-31) was the chief architect of the collapse, reducing Tatts to 94-8 with his second five-wicket haul in two games.

Reaching three figures looked unlikely, but the tail wagged, Robin Mulvihill, Alan Brock (18) and Gary Forster added 42 for the last two wickets, leaving a below-par total of 136 (Dave Shewring 2-40).

In reply, Alvanley were in early trouble as they lost Nick Szymura and Nick Geddis early.

Glenn Pickersgill and Jack Yates steadied the ship well for the third wicket, taking the score to 76 with Pickersgill in particularly impressive form before he was bowled 43.

But Jack Spraggs changed the game with a fine piece of fielding to cause the run-out of Steve Charles before the ever-consistent Alan Brock (3-32) deservedly got in the wickets.

Forster bowled well on his return for a brace and Andrew Morris produced an excellent spell of seven overs, six maidens and 1-1 to pile the pressure on Alvanley.

At 100-9, it looked all over for the away side but Kenny Roberts and Shewring (25no) did well to take Alvanley to within sight of victory before the innings ended on 117.

Elsewhere in Division Two, another below-par batting display saw MALPAS lose for a second week, this time at home to Upton.

With both opening bowlers unavailable, Paddy Mackrell (4-59) and Maneesha Nissanka (2-45) bowled all the way through in a rain-reduced 40-over-a-side game.

With Malpas needing 113 for victory, everything looked in hand, with Keith Rickett scoring 23 and Jon Suckley 21. But a spectacular collapse of eight wickets for 18 runs saw Upton win as Malpas were all out for just 79.

Ian Sharrocks followed up his 30no with 4-19.