Saturday's game at Alderley Edge set a number of records in the run-scoring department, but Alderley’s draw was the crucial factor in denting Hyde’s title ambitions.

This match saw a record number of league runs scored in a game involving Alderley Edge, and also, the first Cheshire County Premier League fixture in which both sides reached the 300-mark.

After all that, the draw was a significant blow to Hyde’s aspirations, Edge’s neighbours from Macclesfield the biggest winners. They leapt into top spot ahead of their game at home to Edge this weekend.

Edge won the toss against Hyde and put their visitors in to bat, hoping to secure the maximum 25 points for a win, which might start a late challenge.

But any slim hopes of making a late charge for the title – with only a victory being good enough – looked more than unlikely with the bat dominating the ball from the off.

With a relatively short boundary on the pavilion side and a good looking batting track benefiting from the recent sunny weather, a second-wicket partnership of 224 between Hyde skipper Danny Berry and County captain James Duffy left the Edge attack feeling a bit the worse for wear.

The visitors finally recorded a total of 324 for the loss of just four wickets with Edge’s Jason Whittaker at least returning respectable figures of 3-83 from 19 hard-working overs.

Edge were faced with an almost impossible task of scoring six runs an over for 55 overs but nevertheless set about their task with some relish.

They put on 87 for the first wicket in 15 overs before skipper Alan Day was out for 32.

Mark Currie then teamed up with Calum Rowe as Hyde got back a bit of their own treatment, Edge racking up 131 for the second wicket before Currie was out for a fabulous 129 at more than a run-a-ball.

Rowe the went on to record an impressive unbeaten 90 before Edge closed on 303-5 after their 55 overs.

A small matter of 627 runs had been scored for the loss of only nine wickets all day. Edge claimed only just seven points from a match in which they scored over 300 runs – a remarkable statistic that should tell the County League that the new points system this season is in serious need of revision with the same points rewarded for an abandoned game.