Warrington’s title march interrupted by the weather

WARRINGTON’s march towards promotion from the Vivio Cheshire County League’s second division was interrupted by the weather when they could only muster seven points from a drawn game at Irby, shortened by rain.
Visiting Irby, they elected to field first and saw the home side reach 163-7.Ashley Scholes took 3-41 and James Rudd 3-36.
Nathan Green hammered 68 for Warrington but he received little support and at the close Warrington were hanging on at  136-9.
The result left Warrington still top of the league, 32 points clear of their nearest rival.
Warrington 2nd went down against Tattenhall at Walton Lea after the visitors had reached 158-7. Simon Hewitt took 3-56.  Warrington were dismissed for 136, Tom Corroboy top scoring with 34.
A reduced overs game at Upton left Warrington 4th with a draw after the home side had batted first and reached 124-5 Mansoor Naseem trook 4-32. Warrington were 42-5 when the weather brought the game to an early end.
Grappenhall dropped back into the Vivio Cheshire County League premier division’s relegation zone – thanks to their visit to fellow-strugglers Cheadle being abandoned after several interruptions by rain.
They were asked to bat first on a damp, seamy wicket and opener Jimmy McCoy looked in fine form, depositing the first ball he received over the square leg boundary. He played a number of other blistering shots before being adjudged out, caught at the wicket, when 12.
Adam Roylance, 27 not out, and Albert Pennington 30 not out, then took the score to 62-1 before the weather ended the proceedings
Unexpectedly, fellow-strugglers Neston defeated Chester and moved above Grappers who are now second to bottom in the league table.
Grappenhall 2nd hosted Upton on a very wet day and ended up well beaten. The visitors posted 153-8 with Mike Holden rolling back the years to take 4-46 in 16 overs.  Grappers never really got going with only Jamie Bye, 24 and Ben Bodha, 25 offering anything of note as the side crashed out for 110.
Grappenhall 3rd kept up their title push with an eight wicket win at Marple.
The home side were dismissed for 140, Stanley Pennington taking 3-37, David Seed 3-16 and Jamie Bye 3-39.  Grappers raced to 141-2, Bye 64.
In the TACS Partnership Cheshire League, Lymm Oughtrington Park’s recent run of victories came to an end when they were defeated at Woodford.
The home side asked them to bat first and Lymm 195-8, Liam Ramsbottom top scoring with 65, Blair Weller hitting 37 not out and Nafees Din hitting 32.
It looked a competitive target on the day, but Woodford batted well to reach 200-8. Blair Weller, 5-78, was Lymm’s most effective bowler. However, Lymm remain a comfortable 41 points clear at the top of the table.
Lymm 2nd earned a draw, largely due to the weather closing in at Oughtrington Lane.
Woodford hit 188-5 and Lymm were 61-4 at the end,  Arvind Pillai 31 not out.
In the Cheshire Alliance, Appleton kept their promotion hopes alive with a four wicket win over Saughall at Lyons Lane.  The visitors were bowled out for 130 and Appleton duly progressed to 131-6.
Glazebury defeated Holmes Chapel by three wickets at Hurst Lane after restricting visitors to 155-7.  Skipper Sam Stanier took 5-39.
Opener Wayne Hargreaves hit an unbeaten 94, including 10 fours and four sixes as Glazebury replied with 156-7.
Glazebury 2nd went down at Capenhurst where the home side batted first and totalled 144, David Nicholason taking 5-63 and Chris Ayre 3-39. Glazebury were dismissed for 120, despite a defiant 75 from Tom Wilkinson.
Rylands won by 48 runs when they hosted Mellor.  They posted 127-9, Alan Brady top scoring with 54 an d Eddie Platt hitting 31.  Mellor were dismissed for 79, Robert Wright taking 4-30.