Fabien launches Chester to safety

Chester Boughton Hall took a giant step out of the Chapel Press Cheshire Cricket League relegation zone when they beat Macclesfield to bank 25 crucial points in a programme of games badly truncated by rain.

Making the most of a rare oasis of dry weather, Macclesfield won the toss and plundered a toiling attack to post a best of season 235 for four in 57 overs, their star turn being Khalid Sawas with a quality innings of 104 not out aided by Rob Keen 55.

Chester more than matched that performance, running out winners by eight wickets, thanks largely to an unbeaten 103 from left-hander Trevor Fabien, their recently-acquired all-rounder from Prescot & Odyssey.

Fabien received good support from Warren Goodwin (73) in a second wicket stand worth 114 and the much-travelled Maroof Khan (42 not out), in a third wicket partnership producing an unbroken 102 runs.

This third win in five games takes Boughton Hall up to ninth place, 17 ahead of Widnes – whose visit to Alderley Edge was one of four matches rained off. They are six points ahead of Toft and 40 better off than Macclesfield, for whom the situation is becoming desperate.

The only other Premier League game played was at Parkgate where Neston closed the gap on the four clubs above them with an eight wickets win against Toft.

Toft declared on 169 for nine, with Denton Brock making 58 and Chris Finegan taking 3-53, to which Neston replied with 170 for two, skipper Jack Smith continuing his fine form with 85 and David Hurst making 57 not out.