NO fewer than 21 out of 24 fixtures were cancelled or abandoned due to rain throughout the Cheshire County Cricket League on Saturday, writes Mike Talbot-Butler.

The only balls bowled in the ECB Premier Division were in the Wirral derby at Oxton where visitors Neston reached 38-0, David Hurst 30, before the players scuttled off.

Didsbury remain top of the chart, chased one point behind by Alderley Edge and Hyde, a further three points adrift.

All matches in Divisions One and Two were cancelled, but there was some cricket played in Division Three.

While remaining bottom Barrow did well to win by 55 runs at Tattenhall after running up 148-7, Ryan McClean 32 and Prashan Pandem 31 not out, with Alan Mobbs taking 3-291.

Tattenhall suffered when their first four batsmen failed to score and were all out for 93, Freddie Cheshire 23, Phil Johnson 5-12.

The weather was also brighter in Wirral with Upton declaring against Ashley on 202-8, Dan Seaton 52.

Ashley, who stay second behind Maritime, were bowled out for 193, Amman Mushtaq 55, David Williams taking 5-40 and Richard Battersby 4-51.

Results:

ECB Premier League: Abandoned: Oxton v Neston 38-0. Cancelled: Alderley Edge v Chester Bo. Hall; Grappenhall v Brooklands; Nantwich v Hyde; Toft v Cheadle; Widnes v Didsbury.

Placings, top three: 1 Didsbury 245pts; 2 Alderley Edge 244; 3 Hyde 241. Bottom three: 10 Toft 136; 11 Grappenhall 136; 12 Brooklands 111.

Division One: Cancelled: Bowdon v Timperley; Congleton v Macclesfield; Lindow v Bramhall; Oulton Park v Alvanley; Sale v Urmston; Stockport Georgians v Romiley.

Top three: Bowdon 261pts, 2 Sale 247; 3 Timperley 235. Bottom three: 10 Stockport Georgians; 11 Congleton 116; 12 Alvanley 102.

Division Two: Cancelled: Christleton v Cheadle Hulme; Haslington v Hale Barns; Marple v NE Cheshire; Mobberley v Davenham; Port Sunlight v Ashton on Mersey; Stockport v Bollingrton.

Top three: 1 Marple 268 pts, 2 Haslington 243; 3 Davenham 227. Bottom three: 10 Hale Barns 142; 11 Ashton on Mersey 115; 12 Christleton 79.

Division Three: Tattenhall 93 lost to Barrow 148-7; Upton 202-8 beat Ashley 193. Cancelled: Kingsley v Hawk Green; Northwich v Maritime; Warrington v Oakmere; Winnington Park v Heaton Mersey.

Top three: 1 Maritime 230; 2 Ashley 203; 3 Heaton Mersey 199. Bottom three: 10 Upton 152; 11 Warrington 152; 12 Barrow 133.

Fixtures for Saturday, noon starts:

Premier League: Brooklands v Oxton; Cheadle v Widnes; Chester v Toft; Didsbury v Grappenhall; Hyde v Alderley Edge; Neston v Nantwich.

Division One: Alvanley v Congleton; Bramhall v Sale; Macclesfeld v Bowdon; Romiley v Lindow; Timperley v Stockport Georgians; Urmston v Oulton Park.

Division Two: Ashton on Mersey v Mobberley; Bollington v Christleton; Cheadle Hulme v Marple; Davenham Stockport Georgians; Hale Barns v Port Sunlight; NE Cheshire v Haslington.

Division Three: Ashley v Winnington Park; Barrow v Upton; Hawk Green v Northwich; Heaton Mersey v Warrington; Maritime v Tattenhall; Oakmere v Kingsley.