CHESTER Boughton Hall missed a chance to go top of the ECB Premier when they suffered a narrow defeat to title rivals Neston on Saturday.

Victory for Stephen Ogilby’s men would have seen them take the summit, but the reverse has been a blow to their hopes of lifting the county crown.

Neston’s 25-point haul, compared to Chester’s seven, has given them a 25 point lead which will take some clawing back.

It could have been so different, with a draw looking the most likely result, but Ian Linwood was caught on the final ball of the game, handing the visitors an 18-run success.

Earlier, Ogilby decided to bowl but found wickets hard to come by until the spinners entered the fray. Jack Williams (4-93) removed the top three with the score on 124 before Harry Killoran picked up his wicket.

Smart run-outs from Warren Goodwin and Killoran also restricted Neston but Luke Camden held them together with a superb 82no. Neston were 251-7 at tea.

The hosts lost Guy Dunbavand (5) earlier but fellow opener Goodwin, whose superb 83 which featured 10 fours and three maximums has made him the first player in the league to pass the 500-run mark, was not daunted by the big target.

He enjoyed a 55 run partnership with Matthew Griffiths (21) and the middle order all got starts but Lee Dixon (22), Ogilby (21), Ross Dixon (17), Williams (18), all lost their wickets going for the chase.

Linwood blocked the first five balls of the last over but fell at the death, with Chester 233ao.

In Division One OULTON PARK fell further off the pace with their third defeat in four outings.

Their conquerors at the weekend were lowly Heaton Mersey, who clambered clear of the drop zone thanks to their victory.

Park won the toss and elected to bowl but while they made a swift breakthrough by removing opener James Williamson for a duck, his team-mates were much tougher to shift.

Mersey’s Ali Akhbar (48) and Rashid Amin (48) were their main contributors to a total of 202-6 from 50 overs on a good batting deck.

Guy Emmett was the pick of the Oulton bowlers, picking up 3-78 off 25 overs.

The home side’s total looked below par, but Park had a torrid time.

While skipper Ric Moore made a careful 47, the next six batsmen managed just 22 runs between them as Moore captain Bobby Sachar (5-44) got stuck in – aided by a heavy rain shower midway through the innings.

Number eight Craig Douglas (59) restored some hope with a knock which included eight boundaries and a brace of maximums.

But it was not enough and Park fell 32 runs short of the required total, with 171ao, and slipped to seventh.

CHRISTLETON took Heaton Moor’s place at the foot of the table after a battling draw at Bramhall.

The front-runners were invited to bowl and posted 220-9 from their 50 overs.

Matt Hughes (74) and Matt Begbie (72) did most damage while Iroshan De Silva (4-75) removed them both – the former thanks to a run out.

Christleton, with the returning Alex Barr hitting 15, reached 192-9 in reply.

They looked in trouble until Iftikhar Naseer (52 off 31 balls) and Matt Astbury (82) steadied the ship.

County league stalwart Mike Talbot-Butler has been named in the Queen's Birthday Honours List.

He has been awarded a British Empire Medal for services to cricket administration in Cheshire.

Mike, who has served the Cheshire County League since its formation in 1975, said: "I am sure there are others in Cheshire cricket equally or more worthy of such an award but I accept it humbly to help bring good publicity to cricket and to our wonderful league.

"Every day I thank my dear wife Wyn, whose devotion and help has enabled me to put the time in over so many years."