WIDNES consolidated second spot in a scorcher against Alderley Edge.
Opener Steve Titchard recorded a faultless 106 not out briefly aided and abetted by James Mc-Coy (21) and Danny Naughton (29).
A late cameo from Bappa Mukherjee (33 not out) punished a tired Edge attack in the baking sunshine which saw Widnes rattle up 49 runs in the last 5 overs of their innings.
Gareth Dyson made early in-roads into the Alderley top order having Day caught courtesy of Ian Spencer and trapped Elliott leg before wicket.
Mukherjee shared the new ball with Dyson and despite no early success he managed to snare two further wickets. Former Lancashire batsman Mark Currie hit 73 before Mukherjee and Spencer combined to seemingly have Alderley on the edge and out of the running at 117 for 5.
Cue a charge from Usher and James with a partnership of 85 to sway the match further in the balance before Hurdley took the key wicket of Usher (62).
James quickly followed him back to the pavilion after great work from Ian Spencer off the bowling of Mukherjee. Despite a mammoth 27-over unchanged spell from Mukherjee (101 for 4), and indeed Widnes failed to capture that last elusive wicket with Edge finishing on 238 for 9.
Widnes picked up 17 points from the fixture and look forward to a top-of-the-table clash at home versus Hyde this Saturday.
In the 2nd XI fixture Widnes visited Alderley Edge with Tim Wearden (100) and Richard Evans showing any resistance in their 188 for 8 in 50 overs.
Alderley Edge reached their figure with 2 overs to spare with the loss of 6 wickets.
On Sunday, Barry McCurdy's youthful Widnes 3rd XI rattled up a mammoth 257 for 2 from 40 overs. Fourteen-year-old Ben Williams cracked his 2nd open age century in as many weeks with 138 whilst 15-year-old Billy Webb hit 105.
Both players batted intelligently and showed maturity beyond their years. A freak thunderstorm at the tea interval washed out any chance of further play.
This weekend's fixtures sees Widnes host Chester Boughton Hall on Friday, July 7 at Beacon-sfield Road in the Fred Graham Twenty20 quarter-final at 6pm.
The 1st XI host Hyde on Saturday in a top-of-the-table clash whilst the 2nd XI visit Hyde. On Sunday the 3rd XI visit Wallasey.
