Cricket: Chester Boughton Hall open up with Alderley Edge draw

CHESTER Boughton Hall had to settle for an away draw from their first game of the 2013 Vivio Cheshire County League campaign.

Opener Warren Goodwin’s 92 was the highlight of the visitors’ 273-7 score from 55 overs at Alderley Edge on Saturday. But a partnership of 92 between Jason Whittaker and Charlie Read helped the home side finish on 203-7 from their 55 overs.

Losing the toss, Chester captain Steve Ogilby was asked to bat. Following the early departure of Mike Robinson, Goodwin and Lee Dixon put on 140 with some hard hitting and sensible batting, before Dixon fell for 62.

Jordan Clark (25), Ogilby (32) and Ross Dixon (32) added some important runs to carry the away side past the 250 mark.

After tea, Chester started well by removing the dangerous Mark Currie for five runs, caught by a fantastic slip catch by Clark off the bowling of Ian Linwood.

Alderley Edge were soon struggling at 88-5, but Whittaker and Read steadied the ship. Bowling highlights for Boughton Hall were from Clark (2-51) and Alex Kegg (1-29).

In Division One, CHRISTLETON lost by 96 runs at Middlewich.

The hosts were all out for 185, Mark Coulson taking 3-20 and Matt Parkinson 3-51. But Christleton were dismissed for 89, Matt Astbury (28) the top-scoring batsman. Club chairman Gavin Tomlinson took 5-23 on a perfect batting pitch prepared by his dad, Geoff.

OULTON PARK reached a winning 241-5 with a ball to spare at Urmston.

Craig Williamson (45no) hit 14 runs in the first five balls of the final over to win a hard-fought contest between two sides tipped to be at the top of the table this season.

Urmston won the toss and batted first, Sumit Panda (79) adding some much needed impetuous to the innings. Guy Emmett was the pick of the Oulton Park bowlers with figures of 4-77 off 25 overs as Urmston finished on 238-5.

In reply, Oulton lost captain Rick Moore (15) early.

The returning Louis Bentley added 68 and Martyn East contributed 51 in a 100 partnership with Bentley, but it was left to Williamson to finish the game with support from Mark Johnson (13no).