BOTTOM team Nantwich provided the upset of the weekend as they toppled previously un-beaten ECB Premier League leaders Oulton Park by 33 runs at Little Budworth.

After losing their three previous games by wide margins, the Dabbers turned in a fine performance. Batting first, Andy Newton (24), James De Terte (28) and Jeff Maynard (42) had all contributed well, but it was a seventh-wicket stand between veteran left-hander Lee Prince (71) and Chris Simpson (67no) which turned the game. They went on to bat out their 60 overs and closed on 247-7, with Oulton's Danny Jones returning 3-62.

Park began with a bright 68 from Aussie Andy Robinson in reply but lost wickets regularly against tight pace bowling from Barrington Browne and Craig McKeller.

Mike Bentham came in at 94-3 and was still there at the end with 72no. But none of his colleagues settled and the last two were run out at 214 with two overs left.

Browne finished with 3-68 and McKellar 3-67 to clinch a win which should serve as a fillip for Chris Hampshire and his team. But despite their 24-9 points return, which toppled Park from pole position, the Dabbers still trail by 15 points.

Meanwhile, in the second round of the Cheshire Cup on Saturday, Nantwich continued their new-found winning ways at Division One side Birkenhead Park.

Newton (48) was again in form as Nantwich batted first, and he was joined by Olly Sadler (27), Chris Simpson (24), Richard Cooke-Sievwright (24) and Ray Doyle (28) with decent scores, as they hit 196-9 off 40 overs.

In reply, the hosts were all out for 186, thanks

to the work of Sadler (3-27), and two each for Paul Hampshire, Phil Stockton, Barrington Browne.

Teenager Stockton's excellent knock of 70no was the high point of a defeat to Didsbury for league lead-ers Nantwich seconds.

The Dabbers were 125ao, but the visitors reached 126-6 to win (Eoghan McTiernan 3-20). nIn Division One, Alsager's fifth win of the season was recorded by seven wickets against visitors Warrington, who mustered only 106 (Mal Agar 43, Paul Tibbetts 4-22, Sean Woolley 4-35). A fifth half-century of the summer from Ashwin Punja (66no) saw Alsager home inside 26 overs.