DAVENHAM has rarely been a happy hunting ground for Alvanley, but they won a topsy-turvy game there on Saturday to keep up their Division One promotion push.

The visitors were asked to bat first on a green, damp wicket and their top order struggled to cope with the seaming ball and variable bounce.

At its nadir, the Alvanley innings slumped to 46-6, but Glenn Pickersgill (88no) led a revival with a magnificent knock, taking the score over the 100-mark in tandem with Nick Geddis (40).

Rob Fisher’s 15-ball 28no included three big sixes and led to a declaration on 198-7.

Alvanley were confident of the win at tea and their bowlers ripped through the Davenham batting line-up, reducing them to 90-8.

The penultimate pair took some shifting but, once the breakthrough was made, the away side soon had Davenham all out for 114.

Leaders Stockport had too much for visiting OAKMERE, who bowled the table-toppers out for 161 (Nick Guest 3-29).

Oakmere’s reply got off to a disastrous start – they were 3-4 at one stage – and the middle order resistance of Paul Yearsley (35), Guest (29) and Paul Hutchinson (25) was not enough to lift them beyond 105ao.

Promotion-pushing MALPAS went down to Northwich, who posted 171-4 in reply to the hosts’ 170-8dec.

In Division Two, struggling KINGSLEY were beaten at home by mid-table Barnton. The visitors set 155-8dec, and Kingsley came up short on 137ao.

CHOLMONDELEY crashed to defeat in a one-sided contest at BARROW, who batted first and made 214-8dec. Chum were then skittled out for just 75.

In Division Three, BUNBURY are still right in the promotion frame after a home success over Cheadle Hulme Ladybridge. Robin Williams (5-33) tore through the visitors’ batting line-up, reducing them to 84ao. Then Bunbury made steady progress to 86-5 in 29 overs.

A run off the final ball saw CHESTER COUNTY OFFICERS win by one wicket at Alderley Park in a game they should have wrapped up easily.

Visiting skipper Mike Rowlands made the right call at the toss and had no hesitation to bowl first on a very green track. Park collapsed to 27-5 but crept up to 88-6 before finishing up on 144-7, Vamshidhar Parvathaneni (4-51) leading the way.

The momentum swing both ways in CCO’s reply, with Park possibly in front with their opponents 126-8. Allister Clark (17 ) tied the scores in the penultimate over but perished off the penultimate delivery, leaving young Matt Pierce to hit the winning run off the final ball.

Alvanley head to Northwich this evening, weather permitting, for their league Twenty20 Cup semi-final.