Dumelow aims high for Oulton
Dumelow cleans up with 6-42
Neston’s game at Hyde was called off due to rain paving the way for Oulton Park to move back into second place in the Chapel Press Cheshire Premier League with an impressive – and rare - victory over Chester Boughton Hall .
Chester dropped into the relegation zone after being roundly outplayed at Little Budworth, where they posted a relatively modest 204 for nine with Warren Goodwin making 53, Matt Griffiths 41, Ollie Law 39.
They had been going well at 118 for two when Park skipper Nathan Dumelow entered the scene and cleaned up with a 6-42 haul off 22 accurate overs.
With a fine, unbeaten 105 from Rick Moore, who made his Minor Counties championship debut for Cheshire the next day, Oulton won by eight wickets with 13 overs to spare.
Moore enjoyed a second wicket stand worth 116 with Ben Spendlove who finished 56 not out.
Bowdon, meanwhile, continued as comfortable leaders, beating Toft by eight wickets at South Downs Road after dismissing their visitors for 110, Lancashire paceman Steve Cheetham taking 4-41.
Bowdon knocked off the runs in 21 overs after Carl Hey made 39 and Gareth Cross 38, both of them unbeaten.
Oxton moved up to fifth place with a tense final over victory at home to Macclesfield, for whom close finishes never bring much joy.
Macclesfield were bowled out for 171, with Khalid Sawas top scoring with 61 while Andy Birley took 4-40 and Neil Cross 3-36.
After Andy Gibson (54) and Chris Davies (44) had been dismissed, the later Oxton batsmen struggled before scraping home with two balls left, Barney Cutbill 3-30, Rob Porter 3-30.
Didsbury moved off bottom place with a 52 runs home win against fading champions Alderley Edge, whose batsmen just cannot get going so far this season.
They were bowled out for 125, Richard Wilkinson making 40, while spinner Jamie Maltman returned an impeccable 6-28.
This was in reply to Didsbury’s 177, a total to which skipper Paul Sperring contributed 75. For Alderley Edge, Jason Whittaker took 3-35 and Oliver Newby, released overnight from the Lancashire squad playing Hampshire at Aigburth, picked up 3-38.
Widnes’ last pair put up dramatic resistance to force an honourable draw at Nantwich.
The Dabbers took the maximum 60 overs to compile 220 for nine after Ray Doyle made 67 and Peter Roberts piucking up 5-75.
In response, Widnes began well with 63 from James McCoy, but slumped to 135 for nine with 11 overs left before Tony Hurdley was joined by late Second XI replacement Andy Nixon and the pair batted out time to close on 195 for nine.
Hurdley was unbeaten with an admirable 87 - after bowling 30 overs pre-tea – and Nixon scored 19 as the pair helped their side edge the draw points 11-10.
For Nantwich, Barrington Browne took 4-63 and Jimmy Warrington 3-74.
