Hyde suffered their first Cheshire ECB Premiership defeat since August last year when Urmston beat them by two wickets at Werneth Low on Saturday, but with Marple and Grappenhall both losing, their closest challengers are now second-placed Chester Boughton Hall, who have to make up 31 points to close the gap.
Fast inproving Urmston made it four wins in five after restricting Hyde to 238 after the home side had slumped to 91 for six and 135 for seven before fine late knocks of 78 from Danny Williams and 42 by Ben Allcock. Urmston’s bowling star was again teenage leg spinner Matt Parkinson with his best league figures of 8-86.
Urmston replied with 241 for eight with eight overs to spare, Chris Turner‘s 78 batting at six proving the key innings.
Champions Chester jumped up from fifth to second with a victory of 201 runs – one of the biggest on record - at home to Marple. Mark Rowlands,93 and Jordan Clark, 75 led Chester to as mammoth 280 for five before a declaration came at 52 overs, Andy Greasley toiling manfully to return 4-82.
Marple’s reply lasted just 24 overs as they were rolled over by in-form lrg-spinnerJack Williams, who took 6-15 to follow up his 5-1 in a RedInsure T20 game two days earlier at Northwich.
Grappenhall lost by seven wickets at home to Nantwich – or rather to Liam Livingstone - who had a day to remember. The Lancashire starlet took 7-44 to help dismiss Grappers for 160, Adam Roylance 45. Then he lead the Dabbers charge to 184 for three with a classy 88 to earn his team full points for only the third time.
The vital Wirral derby clash between Neston and Oxton resulted in 25 crucial pobhts for the Parkgate team, by a marin of 71 runs. Put in, Neston totalled 184, Luke Camden 52, David Hurst 42, Glenn Querl an impressive 7-64. To which Oxton responded with 11 all out, Alex Money, 49 and Graham Cashin, 31 batting well but not so their colleagues against Paul Stimson, 4-22 and Richard Wilkinson, 4-29.
Neston stay in 11th spot, but Oxton are now 36 points clear of the bottom and with the half-way mark approaching next week-end have still to win a match.
There were two drawn games, Jonny Gray dominating Bowdon's 15 – 7 points share with Alderley Edge at South Downs Road with a fine innings of 120 to bring back memories of his days as the League’s best batsman. He and Nick Murrills, 52, put on 137 for the fifth wicket as Bowdon rattled up 231 for seven, Simon O ‘Brien 4-80. Alderley replied with 207 for nine. Mark Currie 74, Chris Ashling 4-66.
Toft emerged with a 14 – 6 points advantage from their visit to Bramhall after posting 230 for eight, Jason Hancock 97, Simon Wilkinson 5-69. Bramhall got as far as 175 for seven, the consistent Matt Begbie 67, Rob Jones 4-20.