CHESTER County Officers were up against the side currently second in the league when Stretton visited Upton on Saturday.

Victory was essential to make inroads into the 30-points advantage that Stretton boasted and Chester went close to achieving it as the visitors were left clinging on at the end of the match.

Steve Johnson lost a seventh successive toss, consigning Chester to bat first again, and the early loss of Tony Hattersley for one and Ian Barlow for nine, victims of the belligerent Marsh, saw Chester struggling at 17-2 after 13 overs.

For the next 20 overs, veteran Tony Collard and the youthful Mike Rowlands held the opposition at bay, gradually growing in confidence, and the score rose to 95 before Collard was yorked for a gritty 30.

Rowlands went on to his first 50 for the club before skying a pull, his 55 including seven fours and a mighty six.

With 100 raised and 13 overs left, the platform was now set for skipper Johnson (30no) and Adam Gewargis (23) to run the fielders ragged in a stand of 59 to take full batting points at 177-7.

Stretton are no mugs with the bat and the openers survived a flurry of half chances to raise 47 in 16 overs, before Mike Clarke held on to a good catch at mid-on off Andy Barlow to dismiss Green.

Clarke then bowled Steve Critchley, which brought in Ben Clissold who quickly asserted his authority. Chester were under the cosh for a while as the score leapt to 109 after 28 overs. With just five an over required, opener Hill had a rush of blood, advanced down the wicket and was bowled for 42.

This precipitated a collapse as Andy Barlow (3-66) and Clarke (5-41) turned the screw. The dangerous Clissold was caught in the deep by the well-placed Johnson, putting Chester in the driving seat, and when the Stretton skipper Gandy fell for a Rowlands leg-break, just one wicket was needed off 17 balls.

Officers took 15pts (Stretton six) to stay in fourth place.

Chester seconds played well in an enjoyable game at Stretton, as solid batting from Steve Holland (5), Chris Wright (27), Alan Roberts (25) and Alan Smith (27) put up a good score of 181-5.

Stretton came to the last over with seven needed to win, but Roberts kept them at bay and Chester took the lion's share of the points. Graham Wilks bowled well to take 4-42.

Chester's hopes of emulating the first team in progressing to Alliance Cup glory foundered in a gripping match at Northwich, Darren Griffiths, John Coppock, Phil Tomlinson and Mike Barrow took wickets as Northwich posted 113.

Chester were slow out of the blocks but seemed to be pulling the game round as Smith hit a fine 39no. Two wickets in the last over finished the contest with victory for Northwich by four runs.

Chris Andrews featured heavily with both bat and ball as Saughall swept to maximum points at home to Liscard.

He scored a crucial 79 runs with the bat and then took five wickets as Saughall continued their recent good form with a win in the dying overs.

Initially it was hard going for the Chester team, who were 59-4 and struggling on a lively pitch before Andrews arrived at the crease. He shared in a 43 partnership with Mike Rowson (16) and a 68 stand with Pete Tunnicliffe (29) before he misread the top-spinner and was bowled for a fantastic and much-needed 79.

Given their poor start, Saughall could be delighted with a total of 177, although they were dismissed after just 37 overs, meaning their opponents would get 53 overs in their run-chase.

Early wickets were the order of the day and Saughall were given a big bonus when Liscard's dangerman, without a run to his name, edged a leg-side delivery and Ian Jenkins took a good catch behind the stumps.

Tunnicliffe was in terrific form with the ball and took two more wickets, both bowled, in a penetrative opening spell that cost only 17 runs from 13 overs.

Saughall's decision to turn to spin then paid off as Andrews went wicket-mad with four in four overs, including the key scalp of Luxon (29), caught expertly on the square-leg boundary by Richard Tomlinson.

Into the tail, Saughall turned back to seam and it paid immediate dividends when James Huxley (1-32) got one to move away and Tomlinson took another good catch at first slip.

At 76-9 it seemed only a matter of time, but a 40 run last-wicket partnership almost saw Liscard gain a draw with their two senior players rolling back the years with some tenacious batting.

The partnership was broken with just three overs remaining when Tunnicliffe (4-35) found another edge and skipper James Huxley caught at slip. Saughall claimed the maximum 25 points and Andrews ended with the impressive figures of 5-32.

Following a disastrous defeat at Stretton the previous week, Kingsley used the strong team morale built up on tour to crush Wilmslow Wayfarers.

After the dangerous Shahid was dismissed by a juggling catch from Butcher, the rest of the team offered little resistance to Kingsley's attack.

Bowling unchanged, Adrian Burden took 7-29 and Matty Ollier snared 2-3 to bowl out Wayfarers for a measly 72.

Kingsley lost only one wicket in reply as opener Ed Leneghan (17) and Neil Rowlands (28) survived a few scares before reaching the target.

After being asked to bat on a very green wicket, Kingsley seconds found themselves in trouble after losing two wickets in the first over. Leatherland led the recovery with 66 and Kitchen helped the score along with a quickfire 27 to ensure Kingsley at least had a target to bowl at with 136ao.

Wilmslow replied well and put 52 on for the first wicket. Two further wickets fell but, at 122-3, the game looked over. Six wickets then fell for only 10 runs with skipper Ainsworth (6-14) and Kitchen (3-43) the wicket takers. However, Wilmslow's Cooper stayed calm and hit a four to take them to victory.