Alderley Edge were at home to Chester in the Cheshire Premier League last Saturday, looking to consolidate their position in the league after beating the league leaders the week before.

In the end, the match turned into an absolute thriller with the result being in doubt until the last ball of the match despite a most unwelcome late afternoon return of the rain after a short spell of hot weather.

Edge won the toss and batted first on a day that began in glorious sunshine with an excellent looking batting strip having benefited from a week of hot sunshine.

After the loss on an early wicket, skipper Alan Day and Cheshire batsman Calum Rowe settled in to build a good start for the home side.

A superb 160-run partnership for the second-wicket with Day scoring 78, and Rowe 77, looked to have put Edge in line for a big score.

A total of 193-3 with 10 overs still to go should have led to Edge batting Chester out of contention in terms of winning the match.

However, some poor batting from the Edge lower order left them all out for 219 off their 55 overs.

That was very frustrating for the hosts as it was one run short of claiming maximum batting bonus points.

Consequently, at tea, Edge’s total was clearly short of what was a par score on a good batting track.

Chester got off to a good start as 41 from Warren Goodwin and 35 from Lee Dixon – both current Cheshire players – put the visitors well in contention when the rain returned with some considerable force.

An hour’s break led to seven overs being taken off the Chester reply and forced them to increase their scoring rate.

Edge, however, were faced with using a wet ball and the nature of the game had changed.

An innings of 51 from Chester captain Steve Ogilby put the match in the balance as Edge’s Australian bowler Zaymn Chapman had a good day by returning figures of 5-60.

It eventually came down the final delivery with all five results still possible – a win for either side, a tie, a draw and a level-scores draw.

Nevertheless, 15-year-old Harry Killorran then hit the last ball for four and Chester had got home by one wicket in an absolutely thrilling match that finished at 9 pm.

The top and bottom of the league is still wide open and Edge face an important game next Saturday against Neston, with both sides in mid-table, but determined to try to improve their position with seven games still to play.