AFTER six weeks without a win, Chester County Officers put in a much-improved performance to clinch a maximum-points victory against mid-table Langley.

With up to eight teams under a mathematical threat of relegation, this contest took on a much greater importance and Chester were pleased to win the toss and bat first.

However, a strong squad on paper was looking paper thin when the innings slumped to 30-4. Steve Johnson (17) and Tony Collard (13) seemed to have recovered the situation, but Rick Laughton (5-32) continued to swing the ball alarmingly to send a succession of batsmen back to the pavilion, the score an alarming 61-7.

But the team batted in depth and Mike Clarke (34) and Andy Barlow (41) added 67 for the eighth wicket and the final score reached the heights of 146.

Langley started sedately, but when Andy Barlow castled Baggs with the score on 18, Steve Johnson ripped into the Langley batsmen and sent back Hughes and Sneddon for ducks.

With Langley's top two batsmen at the crease in Laughton and Duffy, a suicidal mix-up resulted in the two at the same end and Laughton had to go with the score 22-4.

As with Chester, a partnership developed with a couple of sharp catches being spurned, but Clarke got the breakthrough when Mannion (32) was snapped up in the gully - the score 82 with 12 overs to go.

Clarke's away swingers were causing trouble and Duffy (28) was yorked, followed by Lamb and Alston. Langley were in dire straits now and tried to play for a draw, but Gilbody bowled Duck-worth and Johnson returned to mop up Gregory to ensure a valuable 25 points with three overs to spare. Johnson finished with 3-16 in 12 overs and Mike Clarke 4-29 in nine.

Despite this victory, Chester still need another win to be sure of safety and visit Aston tomorrow before finishing the season at home to Northwich, both these teams also in need of points.

The second string made a valiant late effort against Langley as Mikey Barrow (33) and Colin Owen rained sixes in this picturesque ground but fell just three runs short when the overs ran out.

Earlier, a revitalised Geoff Stubbins had lashed 29, Gerry Holton 25 and Chris Wright 23 after the loss of three early wickets.

Mike Rowlands bowled a miserly spell of nine overs of leg breaks for 29 runs, and unluckily claimed just one wicket.

Kingsley continued their good habit of batting in partnerships at home to Aston. Most of them were built around a solid knock of 37 from opener Ed Leneghan and a majestic 94 from stand-in skipper Neil Rowlands, before he declared the innings closed on 183-5.

In ideal conditions for swing bowling, Adrian Burden (4-36) removed the top order soon after tea and Kingsley began to sense victory. A 50 partnership between Beasley (49) and Dawson (26) soon swung the match in Aston's favour though, before Matty Ollier (4-64) eventually dismissed then both.

With one over remaining, 11 needed for victory and two wickets in hand, the visitors were happy to block out for the draw to leave Kingsley with a well-deserved 14 points.

After Aston decided to bat first, Kingsley seconds soon had them in trouble with opening bowlers Ainsworth (5-33) and Oultram (2-34) taking wickets.

At 60-7, the Aston innings looked finished, but wayward bowling and determined batting by Bedson and Forster meant that 92 runs were scored for the eighth wicket. Debutant Stokes then wrapped the innings up with two wickets, Aston finishing on 171ao.

Kingsley had a poor start in their run chase with Burton skying a top edge to the keeper. Coleman and Ashley then took the score to 38 but the loss of three wickets in four overs meant it was Kingsley's turn to steady the ship.

Skipper Ainsworth (36) and Stokes (15) rose to the challenge and batted for 21 overs for a partnership of 58. After both batsmen were removed, again quick wickets fell with Lightfoot and Oultram having 12 overs to survive for the draw.

It was one over too many in the end, with Oultram bowled in the last over.

Dropped catches cost Saughall dearly as they were beaten by five wickets against local rivals Capenhurst.

On the other hand, the visitors took every opportunity which came their way to prove the old adage that catches win matches. After losing the toss, Saughall batted first and needed a strong start given countless absentees, but lost openers James Huxley (10) and Ian Jenkins (7) relatively early on, the latter brilliantly caught at silly mid-off.

Andy Thomas looked in prime form with a flurry of boundaries before he was caught for 31, with a terrific diving catch on the deep square leg boundary.

Vice-captain Mike Andrews played a patient 20 and youngster Liam Beamish made some impressive shots before he was caught for 12.

At 97-5, the batting team were eyeing a total in excess of 130, which would have been a good effort on a pitch which offered plenty of assistance to the bowl -ers. But Saughall collapsed badly to 109ao with Brian Huxley (6no) watching helplessly from the non-striker's end as a string of comedy dismissals ensued.

With key batsmen Martin Huxley, Chris Andrews and Les Perkins watching from the sidelines, joined by former skipper and Saughall legend Allan Wilks, Saughall's youthful team set about defending their modest target in the early September sunshine.

Chances needed to be taken to apply pressure on the visitors, but opener Tibly (20) was dropped twice at slip and by the time he was taken by Mark Elliott at cover, the score was at 72-2.

James Huxley (1-27) had claimed the first wicket with a cleverly disguised slower ball but didn't enjoy much luck as further chances went down off his bowling.

Mike Andrews, fresh from eight wickets last week, didn't claim a single victim, although he produced plenty of movement and was unfortunate not to find the edge.

Pete Tunnicliffe bowled with plenty of pace and took four wickets, but Saughall's modest total was never going to be enough and Capenhurst won with five wickets in hand to leapfrog Saughall in the table.

An indication of how well Saughall bowled was that it took the normally free-flowing Capenhurst batsmen 40 overs to knock off the lowly total of 109.