Alderley Edge recorded their second consecutive victory of the season in the Cheshire Premier League last Saturday with an impressive five-wicket win at home to Wirral side Neston – which moves Edge up to fourth spot after five games of the new season.

Oxton batted first after a 70-minute delay for a saturated outfield.

The steady line and length used by Edge’s Jason Whittaker immediately began to bring results.

With a damp pitch to do the work, Whittaker’s tried and trusted formula of late swing either way gave Neston’s batsmen a severe test that the vast majority were unable to pass.

Neston opener Andy Murphy played a patient innings of 55 off 104 balls before he fell victim to slow left-armer Mark Warnes with the score on 121-5.

But it was Whittaker’s magnificent 7-33 spell off 22 overs that left the visitors with a mountain to climb in the second innings after tea when they were all out for 145, having failed to bat out their allocated 45 overs.

Edge started steadily with a run rate needed of only just more than three runs per over.

It was skipper Alan Day who played the anchor role with a stubborn half-century from 95 balls.

However, it was Edge wicket-keeper Adam Worrall who played the match winning innings of 46 from only 29 deliveries.

He dispatched the bowling to all parts of the ground with four boundaries and four sixes.

Edge eased home eventually by five wickets with almost 10 overs to spare to secure another 25-point haul that sees them making impressive progress up the Premier League table.

Edge enter an extremely busy spell this week with a T20 game on Thursday, Saturday’s trip to title favourites Hyde, and a game in the National Knockout against Leek on Sunday.