A NARROW, one-wicket win at Christleton boosted Warrington’s chances of taking the division two title in the Vivio Cheshire County League.
On a day when many matches were lost to the weather, Warrington held the home side to 178-8, Ashley Scholes taking 7-33.
Warrington also found runs hard to get but Scholes followed up his bowling with a useful 33, the dependable Jonathan Fletcher hit 51 and Jamie Bye 54 not out as the last pair took them to 181-9.
It was an important victory as close rivals Lindow were only able to draw, enabling Warrington to strengthen their position at the top of division two with 330 points compared to Lindow’s 316.
Warrington 2nd also won in a low-scoring game against Sale at Walton Lea.
The visitors were dismissed for 79, Raj Soni taking 4-13, Isaac Webster 2-11 and Phil Whelan 2-9.
In the ECB Premier division, basement club Grappenhall lost again when they hosted Widnes at Broad Lane.
Skipper Adam Roylance won the toss and inserted the visitors and was rewarded with two quick wickets to see the openers back in the pavilion. But then things changes and Widnes reaching a formidable 235-8. Aussie Olly Knight took 3-52 and Roylance took 3-59.
Grappers got off to a bad start losing Roylance without a run on the board.
Adam Green hit a useful 37 and as long as Knight, 60 from 69 balls, was still in, the home side stayed in the hunt. Ben Bodha hit a patient 43 but when he was eighth out the writing was on the wall and the last wicket fell with the score on 180.
The match earned Grappers five points – two less than if the match had been rained off!
Grappenhall 2nd’s game at Didsbury was abandoned to the weather.
Rain wiped out much of the UKFast Cheshire League programme, including Lymm Oughtrington Park’s division one game and the division two “derby” between Stretton and Appleton and Glazebury’s 1st and 2nd XI games.
But Appleton 2nd managed to play their game with Kingsley, only to lose by seven wickets.
Appleton batted first and hit 173, Alex Warham 46 and Guy Collingham 36.
Kingsley coasted to 174-3 in reply.
Appleton 4th went down heavily against Bunbury, who batted first and hit 177-9, David Walsh 4-27.
The Appleton batsmen never got going and the side was bowled out for 62.
Warrington 3rd romped to victory, debutant Ali S hitting 86 as they hit 157-2 in reply to Middlewich’s 156-8.
WOMEN’S CRICKET
Appleton’s title hopes in the Cheshire Women’s League may now be over after they slipped to a third league defeat of the season.
They lost by 44 runs at Oakmere, where the home team batted first and hit 143-5. Jessica Lewis took 2-12 and Sami Fowler 2-18.
Appleton were bowled out for 99, Lewis hitting 25 and Georgia Hath 23.
The result left Appleton in third place in the league, 13 points behind leaders Didsbury, who have a game in hand.
They are just two points behind runners-up Porthill Park.
