Check out the latest Cheshire Cricket Results Review to get the league results for all the action and updates from Week 21
CREDIT: Cheshire County Cricket League
Week 21 – The penultimate weekend saw an intriguing – and for those clubs involved, unbearably tense – last day in prospect with ups and downs at stake. On Sunday, Didsbury retained the Cheshire Cup.
PREMIER DIVISION
In the Prem, wins for five of the top six ensured that the final day will see the focus well and truly on the nerve-jangling fight to avoid relegation, with three clubs all desperately trying to avoid that fate. Perhaps the side who look least likely to escape – on paper at any rate – are Widnes, whose 35 run loss at home to Brooklands left them needing to win away at champions Didsbury on the last day to have any chance of staying up. And, as Didsbury will be very keen to make it 11 wins from 11 in the W/L format of games, orders do not come any taller than that faced by the Beaconsfield Rd side. On Saturday they kept inconsistent Brooklands restricted to just 207-9, David Cunliffe’s patient 61 the mainstay although the 66 runs added by the last four wkts proved crucial. Widnes were two down in no time and the run out of Aaqib Uppal (34) proved pivotal, leaving the hosts 85-5 which turned into 123-9. A last wkt stand of 49 was just beginning to hint at something special but AJ Hart’s 40th wkt of the season snuffed that out.
As mentioned, Didsbury’s emphatic 8 wkt win at Bowdon was their 10th win in the W/L format, achieved in some style at South Downs Rd as Charlie Lowen’s magnificent 116* and another half-century from Tim Hughes (57) saw the pair add an eye-catching 152. For the hosts, a twelfth loss sent them to the foot of the table, seven pts from safety and a trip to Werneth Low on the final day ahead. Bowdon did win an amazing T20 game there last season so can draw some confidence from that, but with Hyde, who won by 78 runs at Neston (Ryan O’Brien 70, Adam Worrall 54) wanting to finish strongly, Bowdon will need their performance of the season to give themselves any hope. A special mention to Hyde’s Luke Young, whose 30 on Saturday took him past 1,000 league runs this season – considering three of his first four inns saw him record scores of 1, 0, and 3, it’s a superb achievement.
And, of course, both Bowdon and Widnes are not only battling against each other but also reliant upon Oxton’s result to understand their fate. Oxton entertain near-neighbours Neston on Saturday, Neston relieved that they pulled themselves clear of danger whereas Oxton’s slump has been well documented. After four straight wins to kick off the season, they’ve averaged just 6 pts a game across the next 17 matches, and Saturday’s narrow 20 run reverse at Timperley left them with a nervous wait ahead of derby day. Tim Reynolds hammered a fabulous 129 (126 bs), his third ton of an excellent season as Timpers made 267, and although all of Oxton’s top five got good starts, only Dane Williams (70) produced the substance as the varied Timpers attack kept the hosts on top, Williams the last wkt to fall on another frustrating day for his side. Nathan Brown’s 4-35 (and handy 25 earlier) was a typically productive way for him to sign off at home. Alderley Edge survived a scare at Chester to win by 2 wkts, the hosts bowled out inside 40 overs for AE reached 91-2 before Josh Leach’s 4-29, and Jack Williams’ claiming Sam Perry (67) saw AE on the ropes at 150-8. Will Valentine & Angus McKenzie withstood the pressure to guide their side home.
At Upcast Lane, a little bit of CCCL history was made as Lindow’s Heidi Cheadle became the third woman to play in men’s Premier Division cricket, 10 years after Emma Lamb (Bramhall) and 20 years after Jenny Halstead (Poynton). Heidi has had an amazing season for Lindow’s formidable Womens 1st XI, passing 1,000 runs (a record women’s league season aggregate) including a run of four tons in five inns at one stage. Sadly she didn’t get off the mark on Sat, one of five victims for Jason Foulkes (who passed 50 league wkts for the season) as Lindow failed to effectively build on another lightning start from Jamieson Hedges (45 off 21 bs), all out 183. Ali Chugtai was equally in a hurry, blasting 6×6 and 7×4 in his 87* as Nantwich won by 6 wkts.
Check out all the 2025 Premier League 5fers & More HERE
Division 1
The meeting of the top two in Div 1 saw Cheadle claim the championship crown after a 5 wkt win over Bramhall in an absorbing contest. Run scoring was hard work for the hosts who made 176-8 in their allocation after being put in, Will Holmes 4-26. Cheadle found it no easier and at 112-5 in the 36th, things were in the balance, but Holmes with bat in hand played another decisive role, partnering Ash Burton (71) as the pair added an unbroken 68 to win the game with 7 deliveries remaining. The pain of defeat for Nick Cantello’s men was compounded when news came through of Macclesfield’s recovery from 98-9 to reach 178 against Port Sunlight, Miles Bradshaw (67) and Sam Hughes (35) adding 80 for the last wkt before Bradshaw grabbed the ball and claimed 4-20 as PS folded for 110. Bramhall still have a 13 pt advantage and go to Davenham on the final day knowing their destiny is in their own hands, while Macc travel to Sale and must simply win and hope.
Davenham’s miserable season can’t end quickly enough, and their game on Saturday was done and dusted in no time, as Stockport Georgians continued their late surge with a crushing 10 wkt win, Ned Bailey (58) and Francis Yates (51) knocking off the 115 needed inside 12 overs. Bilal Shah had earlier taken 6-10 to make it 18 wkts for 105 runs in his last five bowling spells for SG. Meanwhile Sale’s disappointing 2025 continued after a 4 wkt loss at Toft in a low scoring game, meaning the Dane Rd side have won just 2 of their last 11 games (both wins against the bottom two sides) and are thankful to be already safe. Marple leapfrogged them in the table after a comprehensive 9 wkt win over Grappenhall, Jack Grundy taking 5-12 as Grappers were all out 75. Grappers remain firmly on course to rack up a record-breaking 22 losses in a season with mercurial Maritime making a first-ever visit to Broad Lane next Sat. Maritime have had an overall very good first season in Div 1 but Saturday was not one they will care to remember as they marked their final home fixture by crashing to 14-6 chasing Urmston’s modestlooking 168-8. Skipper Thisal Jayawardene made a robust 64 but that was one of only two double figure scores as Maritime were all out 133.
Division 2
In Div 2 there were celebrations aplenty in Bollingtonia as Rick Hough’s men secured their deserved promotion back to Div 1 after a three-season absence. Second in the table since week five, it’s been a great season for Bolly who bowled out visitors NE Cheshire for just 93. Former skipper Harri Dickinson grabbed 5-32 as NEC were 48-8 at one stage, but some determined batting – and 29 extras (top score) – made a game of sorts of it, Bolly carelessly falling to 54-5 before Dickinson and George Lomas, who hit a six to win the game, did the necessary. That news ruined third-place Romiley’s afternoon, after they were en-route to an impressive 265-9 (Tom Rolph 89, Isaac Willett 50) against champions Alvanley at Birchvale Drive and an eventual 115 run win after Paul Garner took 4-10, Alv all out 150. Sadly for Alex Hooton’s side, their hopes of an immediate return to Div 1 weren’t to be realised but there are plenty of encouragements to take forward for next season.
Attention is now well and truly focused on the battle to stay in the division after a heart-stopping game at Cale Green saw Stockport snatch a pulsating 12 run win over relegation rivals Haslington in what was a must-win game for the home side. Put in, Stockport really applied themselves to make 193-8 (Tamoor Malik 53, Dan Taylor 44). Haslington were soon up slack alley at 38-3, but determined batting led by Blake Blumeris (47 off 83 bs), and some stout mid-lower order resistance, kept the game on a tightrope before Naveed Gondal produced the perfect yorker to bowl the last man, Haslington 181. Those two sides are now separated by just three pts, yet both will still go down if Ashton OM (four pts ahead) can continue their late renaissance. With three wins in their last four, AOM have hit form at a crucial time, a solid batting effort knocking off the 210 needed to beat Oulton Park by 5 wkts, Fraser Hay having earlier taken 5-29 as Andrew Dufty was once again head and shoulders for OP with 83 (his last six inns = 107, 88, 45, 41, 17, 83). So it will be another nerve-wracking end to the season at The Beets next Sat as AOM entertain Cheadle Hulme with things in their hands. Haslington play Ashley at home while Stockport travel to Upton.
Elsewhere, Ashley beat Christleton by 27 runs while Cheadle Hulme’s opening pair Jordan Potts (81) and Oliver Willett (92) put on a superb unbroken 192 to thrash Upton by 10 wkts.
Division 3
Div 3 saw drama at both ends of the table. At the foot it was heartbreak for Mobberley who will be joining Over Peover playing in the Cheshire Cricket League next season. Mobberley did everything they could at promotion chasing Oakmere, defending their 143 (skipper Ben Wood 63) with something to spare after bowling the hosts out for 99, and that total boosted by another wide-fest from the Mobb attack, 23 this time. However, it was all to no avail after news came through of Middlewich’s comfortable 7 wkt win at Hale Barns which made them uncatchable and meant the return of CCCL cricket to Haddon Field had ultimately been ‘mission accomplished’. Oakmere’s loss, combined with other results, saw their promotion destiny taken out of their hands after Barrow moved into second with a 3 wkt win over Warrington in a fine game. Warrington recovered from losing a wkt to the first ball of the game to make 243, with three half-centuries (Liam Jenkins, Brandon Andrews and skipper Harley Barratt) and 41 extras the main contributors. Barrow made an even worse start, 0-2 after 1.1 overs, but Faizan Abid reeled off a magnificent 135 (83 bs) to spearhead a wonderful recovery, Abid dismissed with just 11 runs needed. Heaton Mersey sweated their way to a nerve-wringing 2 wkt triumph at Hawk Green, the hosts sneaking from 128-8 to 153 which took on great significance as HM slumped to 143-8. But Irfan Naseri, who earlier took 5-35, played out an ice-cool maiden before Hamza Butt clobbered a six to send HM third, three pts behind Barrow and eight ahead of Oakmere. So there are high stakes indeed next Sat as Oakmere travel to Mersey, but if Barrow win at Mobberley, all else will be academic. Elsewhere Winnington Park beat Over Peover by 3 wkts while Runcorn went fifth after thumping Tattenhall.
2ND XI CRICKET
Didsbury sealed consecutive Prem titles after an imperious batting display saw them pass 300 for the fourth time this season in their 168 run demolition of Widnes. Chris Becker led the way with a magnificent 142* (his third ton of the campaign), putting on 161 for the 3rd wkt with Jack Hastings (78). Spinner Ed Catt then took his fourth five-wkt haul of the season – and his season’s best, 6-25 too much for the Widnes team. Runners-up Toft lost out by 66 runs in a high-scoring game at Nantwich, Jackson Bentley hitting 131 in the hosts’ 312-8. Ed Stubbs, batting at 8, sparked a Toft revival from 134-7 by smashing 98* off 53 bs but his side were all out 246. At the foot, it was the end of life in the Prem for Stockport Georgians, who lost heavily at Brooklands (Sudanshu Rajshetty hitting a brilliant 132* off 109 bs) while Neston gave themselves a shot at a dramatic last-day reprieve after winning by 19 runs at Cheadle, Chris Hackett’s 5-26 Neston’s star turn. That the Wirral side have a chance to escape relegation was due to Hyde losing out in a good game against Timperley, who racked up 312-9 at Werneth Low after being put in, Hyde fighting hard but all out 275 which leaves them with just a two pt gap between them and the drop zone.
Neston entertain Brooklands while Hyde travel to Toft on the final day. In the other game a supreme 128 from Andrew McFarlane powered third-place Chester BH to 287-5 and a handsome 97 run win over Oxton Div 1 sees four sides all able to claim the title or a promotion spot, just 12 pts separating Lindow, Alvanley, Upton and Maritime. The first two of those four clubs are just a point apart in first and second, Lindow entertaining Sale and Alvanley away at Bowdon on the last day. Should either of them slip up, the game between Upton & Maritime at Old Greasy Rd will take on even greater significance.
In Div 2, Romiley’s Joseph McNeeny’s 119 was in vain as they lost by 20 runs at Alderley Edge, for whom Jonathan Steele made 117, leaving Romiley stuck in third, 10 pts behind Port Sunlight who had a 102 stand for the 9th wkt to thank as they beat Stockport, who were relegated as a result of their 30 run loss. Oulton Park’s season-long struggle also ended with demotion after they lost by 3 wkts at Haslington. Div 3 saw Christleton all but safe after a second successive win, this one a stonking 212 run victory over Oxton. Combined with another depressing day for Davenham, who went from 63-1 to 107, reduced Hale Barns to 66-7 in reply but lost by 3 wkts, it all left Christleton requiring just two pts from their final fixture to be sure of survival, although with that last game being a trip to Ashley, who are still vying with Winnington Park for the title, it’s not quite all over yet. Davenham travel to Chester BH, for whom David Henson made 108 on Sat.
CREDIT: Cheshire County Cricket League
You can follow all the ECB National Club Championship fixtures & results HERE
