OULTON Park celebrated two years of unbeaten league cricket on Saturday, but the defending Premier Division champions looked to be heading for defeat until bad light stopped play.

Visitors Widnes batted first and put on 186ao, a respectable score but one which Park should have chased down.

But their innings was a disaster. They gifted a first-ball duck to Widnes courtesy of Jonny Kettle.

The quickfire wickets of Danny Leech, Ben Spendlove and Chris Bassano followed, then four lbw's for 0 left them limping on 46-8.

They still had 24 overs to survive when Nathan Dumelow took control. He made 74no, aided by a stubborn blocking performance from Guy Emmett, who made an unbeaten 26.

Park were saved on 114-8 with six overs to go when bad light and rain called a halt to proceedings, meaning the match was drawn and Oulton passed another milestone.

Their last league defeat was at Nantwich on June 25, 2005. Their record since then has been: played 44, won 29, drawn eight, abandoned/cancelled seven.

CHRISTLETON won their crunch bottom-of-the-table clash at Bramhall. Bowling first, Christleton made the early running with Darron Cruikshank taking three wickets to reduce the hosts to 49-3.

Home skipper Andy Hall steadied the ship with a 70 scored as wickets tumbled around him, and Bramhall ended all out for 151 thanks in part to the bowling of Paul Eastwood with 6-37.

In reply, Christleton were looking comfortable at 80-2.

Their fragile confidence was then exposed by a collapse which saw them reduced to 91-7, and then 123-9. But number 11 Greg Malkin (10) and number five Guy Newell (33) maintained their composure to edge Christleton over the line with 154-9.

Bowdon stay second after a comfortable six-wicket win at CHESTER BOUGHTON HALL. Bowling Hall out for 119 (Tom Ducker 34), skipper Gareth Edwards' off-spin earned him the handsome return of 5-36. In Bowdon's reply of 123-3, Ian Claridge was unbeaten on 41.

NESTON stay top of the table after their fifth win of the season, this time by 67 runs, against Alderley Edge at Parkgate. After declaring on 187-6 (Jack Smith 83), they bowled Alderley out for 120, paceman Jon Farrow returning figures of 5-54.

In Division Two, TATTENHALL'S game against Mobberley at the Flacca was reduced to 38-overs a side due to rain.

Mobberley won the toss and put Tattenhall in first.

John Gibbon (49) and Danny Ahmad (27) got off to a solid start, scoring steadily, and Damian Lewis (33) used the sweep shot to great effect as Tatts posted 191-7.

Gary Forster then made a rapid breakthrough for Tatts with the ball and, although Lewis (4-75) started poorly, he soon showed his class, dismissing Mobberley's top-order.

A 90-run partnership briefly threatened to set up a winning position, but the introduction of Mel Dobson (3-29) ended any chance of an away victory. Eight down, Mobberley were effectively nine down, Nafees Din having suffered a dislocated finger in the field, but the visitors hung-on for a draw.