Cheshire County League
CHESTER BOUGHTON HALL make their way to Vivio Cheshire County League defending champions Alderley Edge for a top-of-the-table ‘50 pointer’ this Saturday.
And the leading duo will go into the crunch Premier League clash on the back of defeats last weekend.
While Alderley were going down at home to basement boys Bowdon, Chester’s eight-match unbeaten run was coming to an end at Timperley, who were playing their first match back at Stockport Road in 12 months.
It proved to be a bowler’s paradise with Hall snaffled for just 90, their lowest total of the season, and one that would have been lower had it not been for 17 from skipper Lee Dixon and a late 23 from Jack Williams.
Timperley then scraped to 71-7 despite the best efforts of Warren Goodwin (3-21) and Williams (2-12).
After taking on Alderley Edge, Chester will host New Brighton in the Cheshire Cup semi-finals this Sunday.
The other last-four tie sees NESTON visit Timperley.
First up for Neston is a league encounter at Didsbury this Saturday.
The Parkgate outfit will make the trip to Manchester on the back of a four-wicket home loss to Grappenhall.
Luke Camden’s 69 and 44 from Chris Hackett helped Neston post 207-7.
But Grappers’ spirit was in evidence after tea as they reached 209-6 with 10 overs to spare in spite of 4-58 from Prithvi Sarvaiya.
Cheshire County League
It s all to play for in Vivio Cheshire County League Division Two!
But OULTON PARK increasingly look like they have the Division One honours sewn up.
The table-toppers have now recorded 12 victories this season, more than any other team in the league, after recording a seven-wicket success at home to Weaverham.
In-form duo Muhammed Kashif (4-17) and Matt Pritchard (4-49) skittled rock-bottom Weaverham for 86 before Danny Leech (54no) guided Park, whose lead at the summit stands at 42 points, to 89-3.
It’s a different picture in Division Two.
BARROW ended their four-match losing run to retain second spot with a hard-fought 29-run win at home to TATTENHALL.
Barrow compiled 191, largely thanks to a boundary-laden 93 from Warwick Ryan-Beswick, and in spite of Melvin Dobson (5-44) and Andy Styan (3-56).
Improved Tattenhall then got as far as 162.
John Gibbon was their top scorer with 31 with Maneesha Nissanka (3-27), Iro De Silva (3-37) and Phil Johnson (3-54) sharing nine wickets for Barrow.
ALVANLEY remain six points behind their neighbours in third after a low-scoring, three-wicket triumph at Northwich.
Ste Charles was the Frodsham Road outfit’s key performer with bat, ball and in the field.
He took 3-26 as Northwich were restricted to 120-9 from their 50 overs and then offered a supporting 17 to Andy Bennion (38) and Jono Whitley (20).
But it was his captain and brother Chris Charles (14no) who saw Alvanley to 124-7.
CHRISTLETON returned to winning ways with an 18-run success at home to Cheadle Hulme.
Jack Gittins cracked 57 as the Swans set 201 before Zaighum Abbas (5-39), Shavaiz Saif (3-51) and Joshua Joseph (2-51) stopped the basement boys short on 183.
This Saturday, Christleton travel to Mobberley, Alvanley host Tattenhall, and Barrow make their way to leaders Romiley for a crucial top-of-the-table encounter.
Oulton Park also face a big match, away to second-placed Widnes.
Cheshire League
UK Fast Cheshire League Division Two leaders KINGSLEY lost their top-of-the-table tussle at home to Prestbury by seven wickets.
Kingsley were unable to stop Prestbury from reaching 109-3 (Adrian Burden 3-27) in response to 108 (Edward Leneghan 39no).
OAKMERE’s magnificent form continued as they made it nine wins on the spin by triumphing by 10 wickets at home to fellow promotion hopefuls Poynton.
Fourth-placed Poynton were kept down to 117-9, with Michael Cushion taking 4-18, before fifth-placed Oakmere, who are 18 points behind Prestbury in second, roared to 118-0 thanks to 78no from Adrian Stubbs and 37no from Rick Lyons.
BUNBURY (119) went down by seven wickets at Wilmslow (122-3), M Steventon (28) their top scorer.
CHESTER COUNTY OFFICERS suffered a one-wicket loss at Wistaston Village in Division Three.
Steve Holland hit 49 as CCO made 175, a target bottom-side Wistaton Village surpassed when reaching 175-9 despite the best efforts of Bradley Rudd (4-44) and Martin Flanagan (3-52).
CHOLMONDELEY returned to winning ways with a 48-run success at home to Wirral.
Ben Pearce was the star of the show, overcoming an injury that meant he required a runner, to share a 112-run partnership with Peter Shone (39) on his way to 86no.
His innings hauled Chum up to 182-3. Wirral were then skittled for 134, having at one stage been 90-2.
Wayne Goldstein (5-35) and Peter Heaton (3-27) did the most damage.
Cheshire League
SAUGHALL reinvigorated their UKFast Cheshire League Division Five promotion prospects as they returned to winning ways with a commanding victory at Rostherne.
Saughall’s openers started steadily before Martin Huxley (21) was dismissed to a skidding delivery shortly after a rain delay.
But his opening partner James Huxley (66) held the innings together, capitalising after being dropped down the leg side early on.
His chief support came from Chris McCartney, who powered 41no off 29 balls, enabling Saughall to declare on 174-5.
Some sharp catches ensured Rostherne’s reply never got out of the blocks. Ollie Moore took a low one at second slip, Simon Healing plucked one high above his head at point, and Mike Andrews took ‘one for the cameras’ at second slip.
Andrews had taken a five-wicket haul in Saughall’s final midweek match of the season two days earlier.
And he wasn’t to be denied another, ending with 5-15 as Rostherne were skittled for 40.
Table-topping FRODSHAM took another step closer to promotion with a 93-run win at home to Mellor.
Captain Richard Warburton top scored with 51 as Frodsham set 157-8 and then bowled their lowly opponents out for 64 with Gregory Pidgeon (6-25) and Nick Brimble (3-11) sharing nine wickets.
MALPAS were eight-wicket winners at home to Mossley, cruising to 87-2 (Keith Rickett 43) in reply to 86 (R Young 5-12).
In-form WESTMINSTER PARK (213) moved within 14 points of the Division Four promotion places with victory at Pott Shrigley (113).
Cheshire CCC
CHESHIRE completed a highly satisfactory Unicorns Championship season by drawing at home to Oxfordshire.
The result on a flat Chester Boughton Hall pitch ensured Lee Dixon’s side finish second in the Western Division behind Berkshire.
Cheshire took the early initiative with a 148-run first innings lead.
York’s Danny Woods snaffled 4-66 and Leek’s Wayne White 3-62 to help bowl Oxfordshire out for 235.
Cheshire’s batsman of the year, Alderley Edge’s Calum Rowe (95), then shared a huge 181-run opening partnership with Oulton Park’s Danny Leech, who hit 100.
A quickfire 78 from 48 balls from Neston’s Will Evans strengthened the hosts’ position further as they cracked a commanding 383-9.
But the visitors re-grouped as the pitch got flatter and amassed a huge 408 before declaring late on a bizarre third day.
Set 261 to win in 41 overs, Evans opened with a typical blast of 36 and Chester Boughton Hall’s Rick Moore added 54 before Cheshire were forced to put up the shutters and claim the draw, ending on 182-7.
Captain Dixon said: “It was a great all-round effort to move up to runners-up spot.
“Wayne White has been outstanding for us and we’ve got a real find in quickie Jack White, who was forced out of this game due to injury.
“Jack Williams relieved Danny Woods’ burden magnificently while the likes of Luke Robinson and Ed Fluck have made a real impact.”
Dixon, another Chester Boughton Hall ace, also paid tribute to Leech, who came back into the fold after seven years.
“His invaluable experience alongside Calum Rowe has been a triumph,” said Dixon. “Calum has gone from strength to strength aided by his guidance.
“Over the season we’ve been a far tighter unit and it bodes really well for next year when we’re be looking to go one better.”
Moore was named Cheshire’s fielder of the year while his Chester Boughton Hall clubmate Williams claimed the bowling honour.
The Sandy Scrimgeour Award went to White.
Cheshire Women's League
CHESTER BOUGHTON HALL (144-3) moved level on points with OAKMERE at the top of the Cheshire Women’s League with a 14-run win at Stockport Trinity on Sunday.
All-rounders Lorna Starkey (63 and 2-11), Kate Coppack (42no and 2-15).
