ALEX Kegg took six wickets but still ended up on the losing side as Chester Boughton Hall slipped to a four-wicket defeat on Saturday.

Visitors Bowdon edged a lively, high-scoring Premier Division game at Filkins Lane by four wickets.

Bowdon’s decision to put Boughton Hall in to bat seemed to backfire as Steve Ogilby and Warren Goodwin got off to a solid start, putting on 63 for the first wicket.

A fine fourth-wicket stand of 91 from Ollie Law (57) and Maroof Khan (52) kept the scoreboard ticking over and the hosts eventually finished on 237-6, the wristy Ajit Ranjan adding a useful 29.

In reply, Bowdon were reduced to 69-3 but then Lancashire scholar Jordan Clark and Ian Claridge turned the contest on its head with a match-winning partnership of 105.

When Kegg picked up his sixth wicket with the score on 209, there was a slight glimmer of hope – but Bowdon made it home to 239-6.

NESTON stretched their lead at the top of the table to 43 points with a convincing eight-wicket win at bottom club Bramhall.

The hosts opted to bat first and were bowled out for a modest 147, spinner Paul Stimson taking 4-22 and Luke Camden 3-31.

Skipper Jack Smith led his side’s reply from the front with an immaculate 83 out of 148-2 as the Parkside men pocketed 25 useful points from their seventh victory in nine games.

OULTON PARK dished out a 10-wicket mauling to Oxton at Townfield Lane.

When Oxton opted to bat first, they were all out for 70, promising young seamer Alex Matthews taking 4-19 and Guy Emmett 4-29. Park’s openers then knocked off the runs in 14.5 overs to clinch their first win since May 1, Jonny Kettle contributing 38 and Rick Moore 33 as the visitors reached 75-0.

In Division One, basement side CHRISTLETON battled hard to earn a draw at Widnes.

The hosts were all out for 198, thanks to some superb bowling from Iftikhar Nasser (5-76) and Sri Lankan stalwart Iroshan de Silva (3-36). Matt Parkinson chipped in with 2-21.

The Chester side then refused to be rolled over, holding out at 148-8. There was some superb lower-order resistance from Ben Patterson (23no) and Jamie Creek (33no).

In Division Two, TATTENHALL inflicted an eight-wicket defeat on visitors Mobberley.

The visitors’ batsmen had done well enough to post 197-8 (Mel Dobson 3-45). Tattenhall replied with 200-2, John Hope (83) and Paul Kettle (61no) leading the way.