CHESTER COUNTY OFFICERS had to dig deep to pull off a crucial victory at lowly Disley.

The home side, on a roll after two successive victories and rejuvenated by a promising youth policy, inserted Chester on a wet green wicket, which looked a bowler's dream.

Predictably, progress was slow and Tony Hattersley was snapped up cheaply at slip early on. John Taliana joined Tony Collard and seemed to have got the measure of the bowling before being unexpectedly bowled for 13.

Disleys' leg-spinner Blackbourne (3-26 in 14 overs) was causing most trouble but Ian Barlow helped take the score to 77 before being bowled for 16.

Big Mike Caulf ield announced his arrival with a six off the mark again, but was bowled soon after by a classical leg-break for nine, swiftly followed by skipper Steve Johnson to leave the score at 91-5 with 12 overs left.

Collard had been a rock at one end throughout, frustrating the home bowlers, but in attempting to up the rate, he drove the ball to mid-on to fall for an invaluable 51.

With the score 102-6 and eight overs left, Off icers were looking for another 30 runs, but with the wicket remaining diff icult, the innings subsided for 116.

Disley's young bloods came off the field cock-a-hoop, having won the match in their own minds. However, the Off icers knew how diff icult it had been to earn those 116 runs and after tea, Steve Johnson came roaring in in partnership with Andy Barlow.

These two soon administered a dose of reality to the young upstarts in an incredible start which saw skipper Johnson smash the top order with five wickets for one run in his first seven overs, assisted by the close fielders, and Andy Barlow skittled one for good measure.

Disley lay in ruins at six runs for six wickets, but to their credit they dug in and fought back, as young opener Wagstaff held his end up and was joined by Blackbourne, then Arrowsmith and Bridge, to take the score into the eighties with victory a possibility at only five an over required.

At this stage, John Gilbody (3-27) proved his worth, bowling stump to stump, and it was he who clinched the final wicket after the returning Johnson had opener Wagstaff brilliantly caught on the run at long-on by John Taliana for 40.

Disley's brave counter attack ended on 87 and Off icers took home 25 points to take second position in the table.

Every game is now like a cup final with six clubs involved in the promotion battle, separated by just 16 points, and the other six clubs striving to avoid the relegation spots.

This ensures positive cricket every week for the last seven matches as Officers go for the league title and the cup in the final against Castrol in a fortnight.

SAUGHALL'S recent good form came to an end with an avoidable defeat at home against Rostherne. The day started well with economical opening spells from Pete Tunnicliffe and James Huxley (1-27), and when Mike Andrews (2-27) came into the attack to claim important early wickets, Rostherne were reeling at 60-3.

Some industrious middle-order resistance swung the pendulum back the way of the visitors before spinner Martin Huxley was called into the attack and collected three vital wickets in a five-over spell.

Les Perkins (2-20) helped pile the pressure on the visiting batsman who had to settle for 150-8 off 48 overs.

Saughall then responded with an excellent opening stand of 66 between James Huxley (34) and Martin Huxley (28), but when both fell in quick succession, it signalled the start of a collapse which saw six wickets fall for just 18 runs.

Chris Andrews drove tentatively to gully, Ben Salisbury edged a drive behind, while Mark Tunnicliffe and Andy Thomas were both clean-bowled by exceptional deliveries as Saughall were forced on to the ropes.

Les Perkins (15) and Tunnicliffe (15) offered some resistance, but whenever Saughall seemed to be getting on top, they lost vital wickets with Harrop (5-8) a constant menace.

Ian Jenkins (12 not out) raised hopes late on for an unlikely Saughall victory, but when Perkins was trapped leg before, it brought to a close a forgettable Saughall innings of 129 all out.

The previous day, a number of the Saughall players arrived home from a cricket tour of Holland. Once again they excelled on foreign soil with Chris Andrews, Ben Salisbury, Shaun Watts and Martin Huxley all contributing notable batting performances, Mike Andrews picking up man-of-the-match for his bowling display at Utrecht and James Huxley captaining the team to their only victory at SGS.