Alderley stretch advantage with easy win

Jul 7 2008 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

WHILE principal challengers Bowdon and Oulton Park saw their matches abandoned due to rain, Alderley Edge cantered to a 10-wicket victory at Toft to stretch a 29 point lead at the top of the ECB Premier Division in The Right Move Abroad Cheshire County League.

Toft were outplayed at Booths Park, being dismissed for 93, Rohail Rauf 4-11, before Alderley Mark Currie (53) and Alan Day (39) went on to knock off the runs inside 17 overs.

Bowdon declared on 294-5 at Nantwich, Richard Wilkinson 79, Carl Hey 77, Graham Cross 46. The Dabbers had reached 139-2 (Chris Simpson 75 not out) with 20 overs remaining when the ground was flooded by a thunderstorm.

Cheshire batsman Ben Spendlove kept up his run with a fine innings for Oulton Park against Heaton Mersey at Little Budworth, slamming 120 in his team’s declared tally of 243-8 aided by Nathan Dumelow 62, Danny Cranmer 3-33, Hassan Rashid 3-56. Heaton Mersey were poised at a 85-2 from 25 overs when rain ended play.

Highest total of the day was posted by Urmston, who ran up 304-5 at Chester Boughton Hall. Indian all-rounder Ashwin Punja contributed 131 not out – his second successive century – and Craig Grindley 81, while Alex Kegg plugg-ed away to return 4-110. Chester reached 198-8 in reply to record their first draw, Jim Gillson 67, Darron Cruikshank 44.

Neston avoided defeat at Macclesfield with their last pair together in another match when rain intervened. They were on 135-9 (Jack Smith a sparkling 68, Barney Cutbill 5-26) in reply to their hosts 177-7, Jason Knight 38, Chris Hackett 3-43.

Widnes lost by five runs at home to Hyde after dismissing their Beaconsfield Road visitors for a modest 146, James Duffy 34, Rudra Singh 5-42, Danny Pascoe 3-33. Only Tony Hurdley (37) of the Widnes batsmen looked comfortable as they fell agonisingly short at 141, Hyde’s Cheshire off-spinner Danny Berry claiming 4-18.