Scores level after a nail-biting finish

GRAPPENHALL  snatched a draw – and 14 points – after a nail-biting finish to their Vivio Cheshire County League game with Neston at Broad Lane.
The keenly contested match ended with the scores level – Grappers needing two wickets and Neston requiring just one run.
Neston won the toss and decided to field first and several  Grappenhall batsmen got settled only to get out just when they looked like going on to make a big score. Skipper Adam Roylance, 55, was the only one to  pass the half century mark but Peter Barnes hit 36 and Adam Green 32. The first seven batsmen got into double figures.
It was a similar story when the visitors batted and although the home bowlers performed well,  only Gaz Burns, 4-43, got among the wickets.  Roylance took 2-38.
The result leaves Grappers ninth in the premier league table and Neston fourth.
Grappenhall 2nd went down disappointingly at Oulton Park after dismissing the home side for 254. Jamie Bye took 4-32, Joshua Hayes  2-52 and Arthur Pennington 2-70.
Grappers were bowled out for 145,  hitting 63  and skipper Jack Critchley 24 not out.
Grappenhall 3rd were comfortable seven wicket  winners at Hyde, rolling over the home side for only 86.
All the bowlers performed well, with Arthur Pennington picking up six wickets with an excellent spell of spin bowling.
Grappers were wobbling at 28-3, but Pennington capped a tremendous man-of-the-match performance with an unbeaten 44 to see the side home.
Warrington went don by 40 runs against Upton at Walton Lea.
The visitors were invited to bat first and posted 204-8, despite Brad McIntosh taking 4-54, James Rudd 2-32 and Johan Els 2-42.
Replying, Warrington lost both openers cheaply but the middle order responded well, with Will Fleetwood, 69, Els 27 and skipper Richard Heaney 23, to restore some order.
The late order well cheaply however and Warrington were dismissed 40 runs short.
Warrington 2nd continued their good run with a 48-run victory at Cheadle.
Tom Higham hit 76 as Warrington reached 182-5, Rob Dempster 26 not out and Simon Swain 24 also batting well. All the batsmen reached double figures but the score seemed about 20 runs short until the home side and were dismissed for 134.
They started well enough but when Chai Gadepalli took the ball and claimed 5-26 and Phil Whelan 2-39 they were dismissed for 134.
Warrington 3rd went down 110 runs at home to Barnton after the visitors had batted first and reached 221-6. Mike Fagan-Hall was the pick of Warrington’s bowlers with 3-40 while Vicram took 2-29.
With five of the top six batsmen failing to reach double figures, Warrington were never in the hunt and finished on 101. Dave Lee, 15 top scoring.
Warrington 4th went down by 72 runs to Europa Exiles in a game reduced by rain to 40 overs each.
Europa batted first and reached 155-6, Alan Hitchmough taking 3-30 and Bruce Jardine 2-26. Europa bowled accurately to pin down Warrington’s batsmen, only three of who reached double figures – Wayne Robinson 18, Paul Dempster 17 and  Jon Burgess 15.
Appleton went down by five runs at Wilmslow Wayfarers after the home side batted first and reached 154-7. Appleton were bowled out for 149 in 36 overs.
But Appleton 2nd enjoyed a good win after batting first and declaring on 226-3 against Chester Boughton Hall. Liam Mannion top scored with 82 and Jim Nesbitt hit 50 not out.
The Chester side were bowled out for 154, James Derbyshire taking 3-11 and Reza Zaidi 33-11.
In the ultimate “derby” game, Appleton 3rd suffered the embarrassment of being beaten by Appleton 4th = although the margin of victory was just four runs.
The 4th team reached 202-9 and then bowled out the 3rd team for 198.
Lymm Oughtrington Park came off second best in a drawn game with Disley at Oughtrington Lane.
Disley batted first and reached 225-8 and Lymm hung on for the draw at 170=9.
Lymm 2nd went down by eight wickets after grinding out 114-4 in 45 overs. Graham Waumsley top scored with 33 not out and Steven Gladwin hit 29 not out.
Disley raced to victory in 16 overs.
Stretton snatched a one wicket win over Aston after bowling out the visitors for 105, Nikil Bahi taking 4-15. Stretton’s last pair were at the wicket when victory came.
But the Stretton 2nd XI went down by 53 runs at Port Sunlight after the home side had hit 210-4. Shahid Khan took 3-59. Stretton were dismissed for 157, S Ehmed top scoring with 38.
Glazebury 2nd won by 28 runs when they entertained Cheadle Hulme Ladybridge at Hurst Lane, batting first and reaching 156 before bowling out the visitors for 128.