Macclesfield got their first win of the season as they hosted Urmston.  Visiting skipper Sumit Panda won the toss and put Macclesfield in on a soft, green wicket.

An early wicket apiece for opening bowlers Syddall and Panda left Macc at 25-2 and in need of a solid partnership.

The pair of Sawas and Crosthwaite delivered just that and then some. Cautious early on, both picked up on any off-target deliveries and showed their class in despatching good-length balls to the boundary.

As the pair settled, the tempo increased and the introduction of medium pacers Edgington and Malook didn’t do the trick.

Panda turned to spin in the form of Fawcett but now both batsmen were well set and saw this as an opportunity to push the score on further.

Crosthwaite, after a gigantic six off Malook over midwicket, took a liking to the spin and deposited a number of straight sixes onto the pavilion roof.

Sawas was also playing majestically with some glorious extra cover drives along with shots all around the wicket.

But although they put on 173 for the third wicket, with both set for hundreds they fell in trying to accelerate, Sawas for 98 and Crosthwaite for 93.

Chris Moores and Jack Ward added very useful late runs to take Macc to a season-high 236-5.

Tait quickly made the first breakthrough in the reply, bowling the dangerous Watson for a duck. The retirement of fellow opener Fawcett brought Bullock and Jackson to the crease.

This pair found scoring difficult but frustrated Macclesfield until Cutbill induced an edge and Porter snaffled the catch at slip to remove Bullock for 20.

Porter came into the attack and claimed the vital wicket of Panda LBW after the Urmston batsmen had started to show more intent to chase the target.

Left hander Jackson started to become more fluent in his strokeplay but then fell to Porter caught and bowled for 37.

It did look as though only a Macclesfield win or a draw was the most likely outcome when the impressive Tait finished a long spell and was replaced by Melrose who made the batsmen play and miss on many occasions, he was rewarded with the wicket of the returning opener Fawcett, caught at slip by Tait.

The score at this point was 82-5 but Urmston fought back with Landry and Dickinson making 29 and 33 respectively.

Tait cameback into the attack for a final burst as Macc sensed victory was possible.

This worked perfectly as he picked up three wickets in quick succession, but with overs running out Urmston tried to cling on for the draw.

Porter worked his magic again and with the last ball of his final over bowled Malook and sparked celebrations for Macclesfield’s first – and much deserved – victory of the season.

Two great innings backed up with good bowling and a much improved fielding performance did the job for Macc and they will hope to build on this win next weekend at Toft.

MACCLESFIELD'S second XI lost to Urmston seconds and the thirds lost to Upton’s thirds.

KHALID Sawas followed up his 119 not out on debut against Cumberland with 69 in Cheshire’s win over Cambridgshire.

Macc will hope his form continues at Cheadle Hulme on Thursday in the Red Insure T20 ahead of the trip to Toft.

ANOTHER good team performance from Bollington saw them take much the better of a winning draw away to Brooklands.

Asked to bat first on a wet and sometimes dangerous wicket Bolly showed lots of application and no little skill to compile a well above-par 204 all out from their allotted 50 overs.

Overseas player Mike Rixon showed his undoubted quality with a superb 114 and he was well backed up by Matt Dawson (15), Tom Horsfield (15) and David Paterson (13 not out).

In reply Bolly took wickets in flurries but with Brooklands seemingly happy to settle for the draw it was tough going despite helpful conditions.

Skipper Toby Ward bowled an excellent opening spell, taking 3-14 from 12 accurate overs.

Dawson (2-26), Mo Jahangir (2-46) and Horsfield (1-0) also bowled well but Bolly ultimately just fell short with Brooklands finishing on 139-9.

Bolly claimed 14 points from the encounter, and they welcome winless Christleton to The Rec for their next Cheshire County Cricket League game on Saturday.

POTT Shrigley were left disappointed in a low scoring affair at home to Disley.

Having won the toss and elected to bat Shrigley were bowled out for a paltry 49, with only Sam Cleaver (14) reaching double figures.

In reply Shrigley’s bowlers showed a lot more spirit with Alex Jackson, Adam Davis and Matt Tarr each taking two wickets, but Disley reached 53 with six down to win the game.

The second team’s fixture at Disley was abandoned.

LANGLEY got their first win of the season in a nailbiter at Barrow.

Batting first Langley struggled to 13-2 before Cook and Little lived dangerously to take them to 61.

The innings then ground to a halt with just 12 runs scored for the loss of four more wickets in the next 17 overs. When Letven (24 not out) and Patterson (31 not out) came together Langley were on 105-8 but they took the score to 139-8 at the close.

Betteridge (2-56) struck with the first ball of Barrow’s reply but Fernando (51) and Magudoshen (25) put on a run-a-ball 72.

After they departed Cook (5-23) and Letven (3-49) ripped through the middle order and reduced them to 112-9, and Cook took the final wicket on 132.

In Division One PRESTBURY tied with Oakmere. The visitors to The Village declared on 142-5 and Prestbury then made 142-9, taking 18 points.

THE season’s first hat-trick came in Division Two, courtesy of Poynton’s Tyler Eiselt as they ran out winners over bottom side Malpas.

Poynton totalled 169-8, with number nine batsman Matt Heathcote top-scoring with an unbeaten 29 to help his side stage a recovery from 124-8, the hosts’ Maneesha Nissanka taking 4-68.

Malpas then mustered just 92, Tony Crabb top-scoring with 20 against Eiselt whose figures of 5-2-6-4 included the wickets of Henry Wilson-Theaker, Nissanka and Adrian Stubbs off successive deliveries.

Currently third in the table, Poynton travel to Middlewich this weekend.