Leaders hit the heights for the first time

Jul 30 2007 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

URMSTON lead the ECB Premier Division in The Right Move Abroad Cheshire County League for the very first time.

Promoted from Division One as runners-up to Chester Boughton Hall last season, Urmston hit the top after routing Bowdon for 38 – the season’s lowest league score – and winning by 123 runs. Craig Grindley did the damage with the remarkable figures of 9-6-3-6. Brother Ian also did well with an economical 7-5-2-2 to help mesmerise the Bowdon batsman. Earlier, Urmston had been bowled out for 162, the BBC’s Question of Sport producer Gareth Edwards taking 5-30. This was Bowdon’s third defeat in a row after reaching the halfway mark unbeaten.

Neston lost top spot – not on points, but matches won – when they collected only eight from a draw against Chester Boughton Hall who batted well to post 194-9 (Shane Jones 72, Simon Marshall 5-69). Wicket-keeper Andy Roberts’ sturdy unbeaten 29 saved Neston from defeat in a closing tally of 126-8. For Chester Alex Kegg took 4-37 and Jones 3-27.

Reigning champions Oulton Park suffered the rare experience of being outplayed at Alderley Edge, where they collected only nine points from a losing draw. Alderley hammered their bowlers to post 250-7, with four half-centuries from Mark Currie (73), David Leeming (63), Jon Usher 51no) and Sohail Rauf (51). Oulton reached 188-7 in reply, Chris Bassano being unbeaten with 74 in a back to the wall innings which lasted 150 balls while nursing an injured arm. Rauf claimed 4-59.

Hyde scored their first win in a month by the narrow margin of one wicket at Nantwich after the home side had declared on 156-9.

Widnes recovered from the disastrous start of 6-4 to declare on 264-7, thanks to a magnificent 126 by Aussie all-rounder Neil Barfuss and Sean Moore’s 35. Christleton made a spirited fist of their reply, getting to 221-8 (Rick Moore 52) but their 12 points return did not ease relegation problems.

Toft thrashed bottom team Bramhall by seven wickets to move into mid-table. Andy Bones top-scored with 62.