Skipper's fingers spell trouble for Chester

Chester Boughton Hall skipper Jim Gillson was refused permission to bat when he arrived at the crease with his side nine wickets down needing another 25 runs to beat Oxton.

Gillson had broken two fingers while fielding earlier in the game and was ruled to have been off the field too long to start his innings.

Umpires also considered they had a duty of care towards the batsman as he was unable to defend his wicket properly and could have suffered further injury.

Oxton had declared on 183 for eight with Andy Gibson making 72 and Chester had reached 159 for nine in reply with Warren Goodwin scoring 53 when the umpires intervened.

As a result, Chester lost by 24 runs and remain the only team in the top division of the Chapel Press Cheshire County Cricket League without a victory.

A week after they rattled up 303 for four against Oxton, Oulton Park were routed for 50 at Bowdon and lost by nine wickets to the leaders for whom Lancashire paceman Steve Cheetham took 6-12.

It was the lowest total in the ECB Premier League since Bowdon themselves were bowled out for 37 by Urmston in July, 2007.

Bowdon went on to win by nine wickets to retain their four points lead.

The match at South Downs Road started an hour late after worries about a large damp patch at one end of the pitch, then, after winning the toss, Bowdon’s excellent pace attack of Cheetham, his Old Trafford colleague Gareth Cross (2-10) and Cheshire left-armer Adam Syddall (2-26) took full advantage.

Bowdon batsmen went on to knock off the runs inside 12 overs, Stephen Ball 33 not out.

Neston rose to second place after a remarkable victory at bottom club Didsbury whom they dismissed for 134, Marcus Fisher 53, Paul Stimson 5-37.

The Parkgate side fell from 98 for three to face defeat at 103 for nine before their last pair knocked off the runs.

Byrom Cooper played a crucial innings of 35, while Didsbury left-arm spinner Jamie Maltman claimed a six wicket haul (6-13) for second week in a row.

Alderley Edge made sure that off-field problems did not affect their playing performances with a top-quality effort at Toft, where they won by seven wickets.

Toft were bowled out for 186 (Ed Stubbs and Nigel Muirhead both 38), thanks to fine bowling by Jason Whittaker, 4-47 and Lancashire’s Oliver Newby, 4-67.

Alderley replied with 187 for three, Mike Day hitting 81 and Richard Wilkinson 58, while Aussie leg-spinner Josh Bean took 3-51.

Widnes registered a three wickets win at Macclesfield with the brothers ur Rehman both in cracking form. At ur Rehman took 7-58 to help dismiss Macclesfield for 143 (Khalid Sawas 40), then Zia ur Rehman top-scored with 58 as Widnes went on to collect 20 points.

Nantwich beat Hyde by 29 runs in a low-scoring game after posting a modest 148. Hyde found run-scoring even more difficult and were dismissed for 119, paceman Jamie Warrington 5-60.