Cheshire County League
The scenario is simple – CHESTER BOUGHTON HALL will be crowned Vivio Cheshire County League champions for the first time in four years if they win their final two games of the season.
Chester maintained top spot and their 12-point lead over second-placed Nantwich in the Premier League last Saturday with a three-wicket home success over relegation-threatened Cheadle.
But the success proved they cannot take anything for granted in this Saturday’s trip to fourth-placed Toft and the visit of second-bottom Hyde to Filkins Lane on the final day of the campaign.
Cheadle recovered well from 80-5 to post 203 in the face of fine bowling from Jack Williams (5-56) and Will Owen (3-52).
The reply started at a canter with Warren Goodwin (68) and Rick Moore (18) putting on 60 for the first wicket.
And, while Alex Money went first ball, the runs continued to flow through Lee Dixon (39) and Oliver Law (53no).
But, with the score at 180-4, the game changed dramatically when Will Holmes claimed a superb hat-trick by dismissing Harry Killoran, Williams and Owen in successive deliveries.
At that stage third-bottom Cheadle were sensing an upset.
But dogged resistance from captain Ross Dixon (8no) allowed the cool-headed Law to steer Chester to 204-7.
NESTON were unable to do their neighbours a favour as they went down by six wickets at Nantwich, who travel to ninth-placed Grappenhall this Saturday before hosting seventh-placed Didsbury on the last day.
Neston piled up 224-9 with James O’Neill (85no) and Will Evans (54) hitting half-centuries.
But, in spite of three wickets for Ash Davis (3-34), Nantwich responded with 226-4.
Neston’s Cheshire Cup final at home to Chester on Sunday was rained off. It has rearranged for this Sunday (12.30pm start).
Meanwhile, CHESTER BOUGHTON HALL LADIES are on the verge of retaining the Cheshire Women’s League title.
Chester (62-1) inched toward settling the championship with a nine-wicket win at home to Wistaston Village (61-3) on Sunday in which Hannah Snape (29no, 2-11) starred.
Hall will be crowned champions this Sunday if they beat Didsbury at home, or if the match is tied, or if it is abandoned and the hosts pick up at least seven bonus points.
Anything less than 15 points for Chester would open the door for OAKMERE to finish top by claiming victory at home to Appleton.
Cheshire County League
OULTON PARK will be back in the Vivio Cheshire County League top flight in 2018 after securing promotion on Saturday.
The Little Budworth outfit sealed their return to the Premier League after a seven-year absence with a five-wicket victory at Warrington that relegated their opponents.
The victory also ensured Park will almost certainly seal the Division One in the penultimate game of a memorable campaign at home to Sale this coming Saturday.
Ben Gibbon (3-34), Muhammad Kashif (3-50), Craig Douglas (2-39) and Martin East (2-41) combined to bowl Warrington out for 165.
Skipper Patrick Roberts (45no) and Gibbon (34no) then saw Park to 166-5 after Daniel Leech had hit 37.
The club’s second string are also on the verge of promotion from the Second XI First Division after a vital victory at home to top-two rivals Warrington 2nds.
Ben Kettle cracked 113 and Simon Torlop 50 as Park superbly chased down 234 (Elliott Ashwell 5-46, Owen Williamson 4-60) when reaching 236-4.
Cheshire County League
The race for promotion from Vivio Cheshire County League Division Two took another twist on Saturday as ALVANLEY slipped from top spot and BARROW roared back into contention.
Alvanley are now third going into the final two games of the campaign after going down by four wickets at home to new leaders Romiley.
The Frodsham Road outfit suffered collapses in the 40s and the 90s when the likes of Jonno Whitley (25) and Simon Gee (24) were dismissed.
However, not for the first time this season, the tail wagged, as Lee Ainsworth (29no) shared partnerships with Jimmy Ecclestone (12) and Billy Ouzounidis (6) worth 31 and 19 runs respectively to haul Alvanley up to 152.
Ouzounidis (1-32) and Michael Rowlands (2-25) took early dismissals before two wickets from Stephen Charles (2-29) and a direct run out from Chris Wright had Romiley rocking.
But opener Tom Rolph (83no) carried his bat to see his side to 153-6 with seven balls to spare.
Barrow are three points behind Alvanley in third and six behind Stockport in second after a four-wicket win at Mobberley.
Maneesh Nissanka (4-12) did most of the damage as the strugglers were skittled for 135 before Nick Mumford (31no) guided Barrow to 136-6.
Third-bottom TATTENHALL are not safe yet, despite their improved form, after having to settle for a losing draw at second-bottom Cheadle Hulme.
Andy Styan (2-60) struck with the third ball of the contest and Cheadle Hulme were struggling at 44-3.
But a crucial fourth-wicket partnership of 84 eventually led them to post a challenging 230-9dec.
Melvin Dobson (3-58) was the top wicket-taker for Tattenhall, who hung on at 168-9 having at one stage been 165-5. Connor Windell, Ryan Spann (both 33) and Rob Okell (25), who shared a 71-run partnership with the latter, top scored.
Two CHRISTLETON batsman racked up centuries in their high-scoring winning draw at mid-table rivals Northwich.
Joshua Joseph (126no) and Atif Bajwa (116no) shared an unbroken fourth-wicket partnership worth 248 runs, the best in the league so far this season.
That powered the Swans to 289-3dec before Northwich held on at 218-8 in the face of fine bowling from Matt Astbury (5-42).
This Saturday, eighth-placed Christleton host basement boys Bredbury St Mark’s, 11th-placed Tattenhall entertain 10th-placed Mobberly, fourth-placed Barrow face a mouthwatering match at home to Stockport, while Alvanley have a big game of their own at fifth-placed Lindow.
Cheshire League
FRODSHAM may have work to do yet to win the UKFast Cheshire League Division Five title after losing their top-of-the-table encounter at home to Bowdon Vale by eight wickets.
Promoted Frodsham were dismissed for 97 (Sam Johnston 29) before their second-placed opponents strolled to 98-2.
There was a third thrilling draw on the run for fourth-placed SAUGHALL.
They shared the spoils at third-placed Styal, who raced out of the blocks before Mike Barber took a stunning diving catch at cover.
Martin Huxley followed that up with an impressive catch at slip.
Styal recovered from 55-4 to set 167 with Tony Roberts (3-29), Chris Andrews (3-44), Ollie Moore (2-65) and Alen Roberts (1-18) sharing the wickets for Saughall, who looked well set after James Huxley (41) and Ben Salisbury (44) put on 81.
Andrews (42) then unleashed five glorious fours in one over to catapult the score up to 131-4.
However, with Luke Coventry (5-31) proving unplayable in his second spell, Saughall decided to block out the final two overs after being reduced to 150-8.
MALPAS (125) were beaten by 66 runs at Kerridge (191), Mike Parry (4-53) and Tom Lyes (38) their top performers.
KINGSLEY’S lead at the top of Division Two was cut to 30 points after they lost by 16 runs at Wilmslow.
The leaders got as far as 110 (Haris Yassin 32) in reply to 126 (Hayden Lanza 4-54, Adrian Burden 3-15, Travis Martin 3-30).
OAKMERE’S hopes of going up with Kingsley were all but ended by defeat at Woodford, who hit 172-7 (Cj Van Der Walt 3-30) and then stopped the reply 71 runs short on 100.
Relegated BUNBURY (54) lost by 10 wickets at home to Poynton (55-0).
Cheshire League
CHOLMONDELEY remain in the hunt for a top-four finish in UKFast Cheshire League Division Three after a 43-run win at Wilmslow Wayfarers.
Chum captain Brett Balac took the surprising decision to bat first and after he missed a full delivery to depart for a duck, and after two further two wickets fell, he must have been having second thoughts.
However, despite being without a number of regular batsmen, his side recovered from 46-4 to post 146-6 thanks to a 70-run partnership between Ben Pearce (70no) and Jonathan Maginess (30), which followed a quickfire 24 from Sam Hockenhull.
And, with Ricard Cooke (3-35), man-of-the-match Pearce (2-15), Peter Heaton (2-24) and Balac (2-25) all in the wickets, that total proved enough as fifth-placed Wilmslow were bowled out for 103.
Wicketkeeper Maginess took his 300th dismissal for the club while Andrew Griffiths claimed a magnificent one-handed catch.
Sixth-placed Cholmondeley are now nine points behind fourth-placed CHESTER COUNTY OFFICERS, whose slim promotion hopes were ended by a one-wicket home loss to Stretton.
Only Martin Flanagan (48) made double figures as CCO were skittled for 102. However, with Flanagan (3-19) transferring his fine form with the bat to the ball, and Buhr Advirkar (3-41) and Steve Johnson (2-10) also in good nick, champions-elect Stretton only just made it to 103-9.
