Cricket: Chester County Officers stretch Division Three lead

CHESTER County Officers extended their Division Three title lead with a comfortable victory away to Bowdon Vale.

The visitors restricted Vale to 162-8dec in the rain-affected match and eased to 163-2 in reply.

Chester won the toss and decided to field first. Steve Johnson (5-55) got an early break and Mike Clarke (1-37) was in good form.

The threat of rain was never far away and in the 38th over the players had to leave the field. An early tea was taken after which the Bowdon Vale innings resumed. Ian Rule (1-6) stemmed the flow of a late flurry of runs at the other end to keep Bowdon Vale down to 162.

No overs were lost and Chester were hoping further rain wouldn’t spoil the game.

Mike Rowlands got off to a lucky start with, among other things, a regulation catch at gully being put down.

Early moments aside, Rowlands went on his way to 83no, which included two sixes and a four.

Chris Wright (59no) also did damage as Chester took the win and 20 points, extending their championship lead to 27.

While Chester celebrated, BUNBURY lost ground with only their third defeat of the season away to third-placed Chelford.

The hosts batted first and compiled 189ao. In response, Bunbury could manage only 155-8, a result which saw them lose nine points on Chester.

ALVANLEY’S Division One promotion push took another stride forward on Saturday with a narrow win at Ashton on Mersey.

Alvanley chose to bat first and two half centuries from John Farmer (52) and opener Glenn Pickersgill (51) ensured a second-wicket partnership of 106.

The visitors were in confident mood and made a bold declaration on 187-4 off just 37 overs.

In reply, Ashton threatened to make that declaration look foolish when they reached 58-1, then 116-3 off 30 overs.

But superb bowling from Rob Fisher (7-39) and young off-spinner Steve Charles (2-29) meant Ashton were all out for 158.

Alvanley remain 26 points clear of Davenham at the top of the table, and 65 points clear of third.

Fourth-placed OAKMERE were in damage limitation mode in their home defeat to third-placed Weaverham.

The visitors reached 196-7 but the hosts suffered a nightmare start, losing Paul Yearsley and Ian Eaton to make the score 0-2.

Stubborn resistance from Paul Guilford (48) and Sam Catling (44) meant Oakmere finished their innings on 115-8 to salvage seven points.