Macclesfield pushed closer to the top of the Premier League table with another 25 points after their victory at Neston. After an initial delay for rain a 100-over match took place.

Macclesfield batted first and made a good start with Hough and Crosthwaite moving the score beyond 50.

The opening bowlers Finnegan and overseas player Wilson bowled good areas and Macclesfield had to work hard for their runs on a slow pitch.

Stimson, bowling his slow left arm, and Free, with medium pace, were introduced into the attack and Free claimed three quick wickets of Hough, Sawas and Porter. The Neston bowlers continued to bowl tightly to well set fields and started to get on top of the Macclesfield batsmen.

Crosthwaite continued to play well and Craig Melrose was sent up the order to try and increase the momentum of the innings however he was adjudged LBW to Stimpson.

Crosthwaite was then agonisingly run out for 49 and Macc were stuggling at 93-5.

A useful 21 from Jack Ward, 17 fom Chris Moores and late order runs from Liam Markie and Jim Melrose got Macclesfield up to 157-8 from 50 overs. Stimson returned 4-42 from 19 tight overs and Free 3-38.

The Neston batsmen came out showing plenty of intent and Hackett momentarily threatened with boundaries over the infield before he was bowled by Craig Melrose for 18.

Ian Tait bowled with pace and accuracy and, coupled with the movement of Melrose, Macclesfield reduced Neston to 52-3 before Hurst and Wilson moved the score into the nineties with the former providing the bulk of the runs.

Hurst was quick to punish anything slightly short of a length from the Macclesfield bowlers.

However a switch of ends for Tait did the trick and he trapped the Neston captain lbw for 32.

The introduction of Porter to the bowling attack worked wonders and, aided by a sensational one handed diving catch by Barney Cutbill, the pair combined to dismiss Wilson.

Porter then took two more quick wickets to leave Neston on 98-6.

Neston wicket keeper Roberts still looked capable of winning the game for the home team and along with Finnegan the pair took the score up to 124 before Porter trapped Finnegan lbw.

Jack Ward was introduced into the attack and did an excellent job of mopping up the tail taking the final two wickets for just one run and Neston were all out for 136 in the 42nd over. Porter claimed 4-21, Melrose 2-53, Tait 2-55 and Ward 2-1.

Another excellent bowling performance from Macclesfield who are in third place in the league.

A brolly for Bolly

UNSUPRISINGLY during a season which thus far has been severely affected by the wet weather, rain again played a big part in Bollington’s trip to Bowdon on Saturday. in Division One of the Cheshire County Cricket League.

Constant heavy downpours meant the game was initially reduced to 38 overs per side.

Bolly batted first and got to a competitive 142 mainly thanks to Mo Ali (53), Mike Rixon (22) and Ged McKernan (19).

In reply, the game was evenly poised with Bowdon on 73-3 with 10 overs left when the final downpour brought a premature end to proceedings.

Skipper Toby Ward bowled well to claim 2-25 and Stuart Plant 1-6. Bolly will hope for better weather when they make the long trip to Irby on Saturday.

In Division Two, the clash between promotion-seeking Congleton and Poynton yielded seven points to both sides when the ground was swamped by successive downpours. Congleton had reached 32-0 off 13 overs.

All too Pott for Shrigley

POTT Shrigley’s good form was thwarted by bad weather and poor batting on Saturday in the Meller Braggins Cheshire League Division Three.

They faced Groves and, having won the toss and elected to field, Pott made a good start with Alex Jackson and Alex Clarke taking early wickets.

Frequent rain showers affected the rhythm of the Shrigley bowlers, yet the Groves declared on 140 for 7 off 39 overs. Matt Jackson took 3 for 41.

In reply Shrigley only had 23 overs available to bat and made a horrific start with Warren Barlow and Rob Lisney dismissed by the first two balls of the innings.

By the 12th over, Shrigley were six wickets down.

Matt Jackson came to the crease and with Alex Jackson and Clarke settle in for the draw, closing on 63 for 9.

Sun doesn’t shine for Kerridge

A BAD day at the office for Kerridge sides on Saturday with both going down to convincing defeats against promotion chasing Port Sunlight.

At Clarke Lane the game, in a normal season, might not have been played due to the wet state of the wicket but Sunlight won the toss, batted and amassed 192-6 declared.

The six wickets were shared by all the home bowlers.

When Kerridge batted they could only make 111 all out on the tacky track with Alessio Li Viogl and skipper Nathan Taylor the only batsmen to get going with 20 and 15 respectively.

On the Wirral, with just a few drops of rain, the home side batted first and declared on 162-8 with skipper Jonno Roberts (43) and Chris Newton (62) sharing an important third wicket stand of 92 in the face of some accurate spin bowling by Alex Grimes (4-22)

When Kerridge batted they had little answer to G Sundve who ripped the heart out of the visitors with 7-42.

Grimes with 16 top scored as the visitors were all out for 75.

On Saturday, the firsts entertain Rostherne and the seconds travel to Holmes Chapel as the club begin the second half of this rain-ravaged season.

On Sunday the seconds entertain Trinity in the quarter-final of the League Cup.