WARRINGTON seem to be making a late bid to avoid relegation from division one of the Chapel Press Cheshire County League.
They picked up their second successive win against fellow strugglers Timperley – but remain at the bottom of the table.
Batting first at Timperley, Warrington lost a couple of early wickets but managed to reach a respectable total of 206. Richard Taylor hit 56, Robert Batey 52 and Chris Kirby 33.
Timperley crashed disastrously against the bowling of Steve Carlile, 2-47 and Steve Heydon, 6-66 and were 69-9. Then a last wicket stand of 69 frustrated Warrington and it was only when Charlie McElroy came on that the partnership was broken. He took 1-1 – and Warrington took the honours.
Grappenhall’s promotion chase came well and truly off the rails when they went down by 28 runs at Irby.
The home side batted first and hit 191 and Grappenhall, after a determined run chase, were all out for 163 in 40 overs.
Grappenhall 2nd were held to a draw by Oxton after posting a healthy 197-7 at Broad Lane.
Skipper Mike Holden hit 63 and Dean Langhorne 68 to steady the ship after Grappenhall had won the toss, batted first but lost three wickets for 31. Neil Titchard hammered 30 from 18 balls to help boost the total to 197 to enable a declaration.
Oxton found runs hard to get with only three batsmen reaching double figures.
Good bowling by Mark Roylance, 5-35 and Adam Roylance, 2-33, back up by good fielding kept the batsmen quiet but at the end the visitors managed to hang on for a draw at 111-8.
Grappenhall 3rd snatched two wickets in the last over to win against Urmston.
Losing the toss, Grappenhall were asked to bat first and reached 203-8, Neil Muttock hitting 43, Luke Watson 38, Mark Tyerman 33 and Adam Roylance 29.
Urmston struggled against good bowling and were reduced to 36-6. The tail resisted however and when the last over started, Grappers still needed two wickets.
Up stepped Muttock to win the match with one ball to spare and finish with figures of 6-12. John Egerton took 3-31.
In the Meller Braggins Cheshire League, Lymm Oughtrington Park beat Kingsley by four wickets.
Kingsley batted first and were dismissed for 127 and Lymm finished on 130-6.
In the Cheshire Alliance, Appleton went down by two wickets against Disley at Lyons Lane.
Batting first, Appleton were bowled out for 122, with Tom Lomas top scoring with 23.
Disley seemed to be heading for a big win until Duane Jones, 4-39 and James Darbyshire, 4-40 came into the attack. In the end they reached their target with 126-8.
Appleton 2nd lost by five wickets at Hartford where they batted first and hit 194-5. Brian Woods top scored with a fine 80 and Paul Dempster hit 56. Hartford coasted to 198-5.
Appleton 3rd were tumbled out for 79 and then saw Stalybridge St Pauls hit off the runs for the loss of two wickets.
Glazebury won by 105 runs when they entertained Styal at Hurst Lane.
Batting first they hit 207, with Jon Gibbons hitting 32, Callum Morgan 32 and Simon Green 45.
Dave Acton took 4-31 as Styal were dismissed for 102.
Glazebury 2nd hit a respectable 201-9 at Norbury – but still lost by four wickets.
Wayne Hargreaves hit 33, Andy Calvert 76 and Phil McCue 46.
Norbury replied with 202-6 despite Paul Charlton’s 4-74.
Rylands held on for a draw at Stalybridge St Pauls.
The home side batted first and hit 181-6 and Rylands replied with 151-9.
Women’s Cricket
APPLETON amassed the highest score of the year in the Cheshire Women’s League first division when they hammered 229-4 at Hawarden.
The game also feature the division’s first century of the year as Amy Page hit 111 not out.
Hawarden briefly held the upper hand when Rebecca Moss took three wickets in one over to leave Appleton 12-3.
But Page and Natalie Long, 54, took the game away from Hawarden with a partnership of 198.
Hawarden then crumbled to 20 all out in reply, with Jess Lewis taking 3-4 and Jenny Clarke 3-10.
