WIDNES came out six points worse-off than promotion rivals Winnington Park in the second-versus-third battle at Beaconsfield Road.
Rain halted play with 18 overs of an evenly-poised match remaining, Adam Landry and Steve Titchard both batting with assurance and Widnes, on 100-2, requiring another 123 for victory.
Widnes still occupy runners-up spot in the Murray Smith Cheshire County League Division One, but stand just 14 points ahead of Saturday's visitors.
Park gained their advantage by batting first and getting more batting points.
Widnes suffered significantly for the absence of wicketkeeper Ian Spencer, who had other commitments, and his normal deputy, Tom Tabb.
Tom's brother, Simon Tabb, was a late replacement in this vital role and was distraught when he dropped both Winnington's main runmakers during Gareth Dyson's excellent opening spell.
Tony Hurdley had bowled Sinclair with the score on 17 and Bappa Mukherjee accounted for Little in a similar manner with the score on 32.
Leech (63) and Allen (90no) then added 130 for the third wicket - but both could have gone before they had reached 20.
Fifteen-year-old Sean Moore broke the partnership when he yorked Leech with an excellent delivery.
Tabb redeemed himself by stumping Busby off Mukherjee and Dyson returned to bowl Large. Winnington Park declared on 223-5 after 50 overs - the excellent Mukherjee bowled 19 of these and took 2-73.
Phil Catterall and Tony Hurdley opened Widnes's account with a partnership of 13. Catterall looked very impressive before he was bowled by Allen for 12.
Hurdley and Landry had taken the score on to 56 when Hurdley was caught off a hook for 24. Titchard, in his most assured innings so far, and Landry took the Widnes total to three figures before the weather intervened, both batsmen having reached 30.
* This Saturday, Widnes visit Alsager in search of a much-needed return to winning ways. The second eleven entertain Nantwich at 1.30pm and on Sunday the thirds host Hyde at 1pm.
