STEVE Ogilby believes Chester Boughton Hall can still achieve a top-three finish despite narrowly losing on Saturday and dropping down to seventh in the Premier Division.

Entertaining Nantwich, Eddie Roberts ran out of partners on 99no, skipper Ogilby lost his wicket on 49 and Hall came within two overs of claiming a draw and a handful of extra points.

But they were bowled out for 206 after Nantwich had declared on 265-5 (Alex Kegg 3-89).

Ogilby has decided to bring batsman Dave Atkin in to face Heaton Mersey tomorrow. Tom Duckers and Andy Leech will go into the 2nds

“Dave is a batsman so it shouldn’t affect our strength in that department,” said Ogilby.

“I firmly believe we are still in with a chance of the top three. There are not many points between us and the top teams and one good result could catapult us back up there.”

Hall also face Bowdon on Sunday as the County League’s Twenty20 finals day takes place.

The two sides will battle for the right to face the winner between Alderley Edge and Marple in the final, with all of the games taking place at Timperley Cricket Club.

NESTON have launched a silent assault on the top four in recent weeks, passing rivals Oulton Park and Boughton Hall virtually undetected.

But their winning run could come to an abrupt end tomorrow as they visit Bowdon.

The second-placed side will certainly pose a very different challenge than Urmston, who rolled over at Parkgate last Saturday, setting 73ao (Chris Finegan 4-28, Lee Dixon 3-6) before opening partnership Jack Smith and Andy Murphy knocked the runs off after tea, reaching 74-0.

Captain Stan Clifford said: “For us to break into the top four would take a huge effort. Last time we faced Bowdon, however, they only won by a whisker so we know we can match them.”

OULTON PARK failed to rediscover their form at home to Bowdon on Saturday.

The visitors won by 10 wickets after Park skipper Nathan Dumelow declared on 213-8 (Danny Leech 69, Dumelow 61).

In reply, Bowdon’s opening partnership took full responsibility for clawing back all the runs as Wilkinson made an unbeaten 143 and Hey 66no to reach 216-0.

A much-changed CHRISTLETON team battled to a losing draw at home to relegation scrappers Cheadle.

Fighting for their Division One lives, Cheadle batted first and set a surprisingly commanding 205-6 (Dan Schuppan 79, Mark Farrell 61).

It soon became clear Christleton were not on course to catch the visitors and skipper Paul Allen guided his side to a draw, contributing an unbeaten 60 to their 159-6.

Tomorrow, they travel to second-placed Didsbury and welcome back vice-captain Rick Moore and Nick O’Connell.

A trip to Hale Barns provided a stern test for a TATTENHALL side chasing promotion from Division Two.

Determined to climb out of the relegation zone, Barns won the toss and elected to bat on a surface which offered no pace and very little movement.

Gary Forster bowled excellently for his solitary wicket but Damien Lewis and Mel Dobson both proved ineffective.

Rob Mulvihill, returning from injury, took four wickets but was very expensive as Tattenhall limited Barns to 229.

The reply began well. Left-hander John Gibbon was the first to go on 75, top-edging a careless sweep to backward square leg.

This precipitated a mini-collapse as Paul Kettle, Graham Harper and Paul Ferriday were all given lbw for just two runs between them.

Lewis (39no) supported the fluent John Hope (69), playing his best innings of the season, but Tattenhall were forced to bat out the overs to secure a draw, finishing on 179-6.