CONTRASTING victories - one convincing and the other close - saw Widnes improve their position in the Murray Smith County League's ECB Premier Division and progress to round three of the Jaguar House Cheshire Cup.
They swept aside bottom-placed Alderley Edge by 42 runs in the league and followed up with a nailbiting one-wicket victory over Elsworth to complete a successful weekend.
A half century by Tony Hurdley was the backbone of Widnes' 180-9 dec at Alderley Edge on Saturday.
Ian Spencer (26no) and Sean Moore (8no) put on a cameo un-broken tenth-wicket partnership, after Widnes had been put into bat with the declaration coming after 55 overs.
James McCoy and the recalled Phil Catterall had put on 23 for the first wicket.
On McCoy's departure for 17, Landry and Catterall took the score on to 48.
But Catterall was caught behind for 13 and Steve Titchard went lbw without troubling the scorers.
It was left to skipper Adam Landry (26) and Hurdley to bat Widnes into what appeared a solid position.
But Alderley Edge got off to a flier in reply. Lancashire's Mark Currie - fresh from hitting a century and half-century for his county against Leeds-Bradford Universities - put Beaconsfield Road's bowlers to the sword.
Gareth Dyson went for 19 from four overs and Steve Titchard for 30 in five as the hosts reached 56 after 10 overs.
However, Bappa Mukherjee put a stop to the run feast, trapping both Currie (37) and Parkinson (0) in front in only his second over.
Day fell in similar fashion, but to Ibra Ali for 13, as Alderley Edge slipped to 66-3.
Steve O'Shaughnessy and Hanley took the score on to 86 but former Lancashire player O'Shaughnessy then became the first of two runout victims.
Hanley (28) and Usher (15) did their best to spark a revival but Mukherjee (4-50 from 21 overs) and Ali (4-31 off 19) bowled Widnes to victory with six overs in hand.
Widnes were always favourites to overcome cup visitors Elsworth on Sunday, although the South Cheshire and Staffordshire League side were very much an unknown quantity.
But the hosts had things far from all their own way, despite Anthony Nickson taking an early wicket.
Ian Mitchell responded with a quickfire 35, including eight boundaries.
Aided by 28 extras, the away side mustered a creditable 172 from their 45 overs, with Ali (4-28) and Mukherjee (3-33) again the stand-out bowlers.
McCoy was dismissed in the first over and with Titchard and Hurd-ley soon following, Widnes were in trouble at 28-3.
The rescue act was jointly performed by Steve Walton (39) and Bappa Mukherjee (37).
The unfortunate run-out of Mukherjee started a potentially disastrous collapse to 132-8.
But 16-year-old Sean Moore stroked an assured 23 to take Widnes to within two runs of their target.
Victory was secured by Ali (19no) with a boundary off the last ball of the penultimate over.
Widnes will host Nantwich in the next round on June 27.
This Saturday, they host powerful league rivals Bowdon (1pm start).
Widnes 2nds meet Bredbury St Mark's on Sunday in the Taylor Insurance Cup (1pm), while on Bank Holiday Monday, the 3rds play Stockport Georgians.
