WEAVERHAM cashed in on a rare MIDDLEWICH slip to close the gap between them at the top of the First Division to 13 points.

Rob McMillan whacked 71 runs, Guy Groves 45no and Jon Lightfoot 21 as Weaverham declared at 204-4 against Mere.

At 90-1, Mere looked ready to avoid defeat, but Rob McMillan (4-12), Colin Lewis (2-15) and Alan Bell (2-30) shared in a collapse and they were all out for 149.

The 2nds made it four wins and a draw in the last five games by achieving the double over league leaders Barnton and bagging a maximum 25 points.

Phil Harris (48), Richard Goodier (24), Anthony Mainwaring (27) and John Astles (21) scored the runs and Alan Holcroft (7-40) and Henryk Kazmierczak (3-29) took the wickets: Weaverham 182-7 Barnton 125ao (Lee Washburn 22, Peter Hancock 21).

MIDDLEWICH failed for the second time this season to beat Lymm.

They scored 187-5, but only after being 22-2. The father and son partnership of David and Stephen Parry led the way, putting 66 for the third wicket when son Stephen was stumped for 32. Lee Challinor, in only his second appearance of the summer, joined Parry Snr for a stand of 53. Parry was caught at 79 and Challinor made 51.

As in the last meeting, the Lymm reply was soon in disarray as Stuart Price and Stephen Parry took early wickets. At 15-4, and 36-5 soon after, the home side were out of the contest. But hard as Middlewich tried, they could not remove a stubborn late order who had little incentive to play any shots.

As before, Lymm survived for the draw, at 125-9.

Middlewich aim to retain the Quinn Foden Cheshire Shield at Parkfield on Sunday.

DAVENHAM were 148ao chasing 239-9dec at Prestbury and OAKMERE's survival bid grew dimmer at Alvanley.

For the second successive game, Oakmere lost in the last over. Skipper Paul Yearsley gave a steady start with 48 and two other Pauls - Guilford (54no) and Hutchinson (21) - gave the innings impetus.

Oakmere scored 161-4 but were overhauled at 165-4.

Bowlers Mike Cushion (5-15) and Eddie Gibson (3-13) were the stars as Alvanley 2nds were dismissed for 55. Ian Morgan carried his bat for 90 as Oakmere 2nds made 172-8. WINSFORD took a relegation breather in Division Two.

Mark Dean (4-48), Kev Fitzpatrick (3-26) and Mike Clarke - three overs, three maidens, one wicket - set up the victory at Knight's Grange over Cheadle Hulme Ladybridge.

The visitors were all out for 117 and at 17-4, Winsford had an attack of collywobbles.

But Andy Cooper had a patient 24 and found Colin Dean (33) and Gareth Whitney (33no) able to benefit, and they finished on 121-5.

Winsford 2nds held on for a draw: Barrow 154-8 Winsford 127-9. Teenage off-spinner Chris Webb (5-46) was the star.

BARNTON agonisingly fell three runs short of victory at Knutsford.

On a wicket with big variations in bounce, the home side struggled to post a good score in the face of bowling from Dharmesh Manubhai (2-34) and Nick Yarwood (3-55).

Some late slogging saw Knutsford double their total in the last 15 overs to reach 141-6 off 45.

Barnton's batsmen also found run-scoring difficult as Paul Coot took 20 and Mattie Bebbington 23.

With the required run rate at six per over, Christian Watkins set about the attack and looked likely to win the match, but when he was out for 35, a scramble for runs and a flurry of wickets saw Barnton just fail to pull off the win at 139-8.