A CENTURY from Neston captain Ben Thomas foiled Nantwich's bid for a first win of the season at Whitehouse Lane on Saturday.

The Dabbers welcomed back pace bowler Barrington Browne, who had recovered from an injury sustained while playing for Cheshire in their Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy tie against Hampshire earlier in the month.

Nantwich batted first on a good wicket and their new-look opening partnership of overseas player Leigh Murphy and Chris Hampshire made hay while the sun shone.

The two youngsters punished some wayward Neston bowling in a fine stand of 121 for the first wicket.

Murphy went four short of a half-century while Hampshire went on to make an excellent 85 from 137 balls.

Jeff Maynard added a useful 29 at number three but the Dabbers' middle order wobbled during the pursuit of late runs, as they slipped from 182-3 to 207-9 at the end of their 55 overs.

Pete Barber, who picked up the important wickets of Nantwich's top three, was Neston's best bowler, returning figures of 6-58 from 13 overs.

Like Nantwich, however, the Neston openers made a fine start with the excellent Thomas and Phil Davis putting on 90 before Davis was caught by Ray Doyle off the bowling of Ian Cowap for 31.

Neston looked well set, but just after Thomas completed his century, he was bowled by Hampshire for 101 off 169 balls.

The wicket triggered a mini-collapse as four wickets fell for five runs as the Dabbers' opening bowlers returned for their second spells.

Browne announced his return to the side with 4-50 and Hampshire completed a good all-round display with 2-28 from 15 economical overs.

Nantwich ran out of overs in their bid to claim the final wickets and Neston held out to earn a draw at 174-7.

There was a welcome first win for Alsager at Upton in Division One.

Newly-arrived Indian batsman Ashwin Punja made his mark with a fluent unbeaten 122, an innings umpire Hugh De Prez described as 'pure class'.

Upton batted first on a fine track but excellent bowling from Shaun Woolley (4-78), Phil Cottrell (3-53) and Mark French (1-49) held them to 223-9 with a fourth wicket stand of 110 proving the basis for a testing total. Brian Warburton top scored with 61.

Alsager lost both openers Paul Pickford and Steve Armitage to disappointing ducks before Punja plundered boundaries at will, showing a superb range of scoring shots on both sides of the wicket.

Tim Smalley also weighed in with an excellent 41 before Kenny South offered excellent support to Punja with a sensible 28.

Alsager chairman Graham Pickford said: 'Ashwin's innings was a joy to watch. We have been a little bit slow out of the blocks this season but hope-fully we can now move off the bottom and up the table.

Nantwich Seconds enjoyed a five-wicket win at Neston.

Teenager Oliver Sadler took 5-26 as Neston were dismissed for 119 and then made 29 in the Dabbers' winning reply of 120-5. Mark Symns also made a big impression with the bat, flaying an unbeaten 40 off just 20 balls.

Alsager's second string were thwarted by Timperley's last pair.

Sixteen-year-old Richard South made his maiden half-century in senior cricket and Richard Coombs (51) and Paul Adams (45) also made useful contributions in Alsager's 178-6. Timperley held on for a draw at 129-9.