OULTON Park openers Rick Moore and Danny Leech put on a season-best partnership, but it was not enough to beat back-markers Brooklands in Division One.

Moore, who has scored four centuries for Cheshire this season, was unbeaten on 165 – the highest individual total in first XI cricket in 2014 – after hitting 20 fours and four sixes.

Leech contributed 102 as the men from Little Budworth totalled 273-0 from 49 overs.

Brooklands replied with 216-8 to finish unbeaten for a third successive Saturday, Doug Wyley (53) reaching a half-century while Tom Hyslop returned figures of 5-70.

Oulton Park are fifth in the table following an unbeaten sequence that started after losing to Macclesfield on July 5.

Davenham were routed for the section’s lowest score this season at Sale, succumbing for 40.

Mike Sambell (11) top-scored in the visitors’ miserable tally, their batsmen having no answer to the leg spin of Rick Halkon (7-9) and the quicker stuff of Tyrone Lawrence (3-28).

Sale needed only a dozen overs to secure a seven-wicket win, Ben Gough taking 2-23.

Heavy morning rain flooded Widnes’ ground, so there was no play in their relegation clash with fellow strugglers Middlewich.

The Haddon Field outfit is 22 points clear of the drop zone with three matches left.

Weaverham show no signs of slowing their march towards the Division Two title, recording their latest victory against visiting Congleton.

On a day for bowlers, the Russets were dismissed for 128 after being put in, Ian Eaton (36) their leading scorer.

However they dismissed the visitors to Wallerscote Road for 101, with Rob MacMillan (4-35) their star turn.

Birthday boy Mike Clarke took three wickets, while Kevin Waterhouse chipped in with two.

Weaverham’s lead over second-placed Tattenhall at the table’s summit is worth 38 points.

Out-of-sorts Northwich managed to avoid a fourth successive defeat when Stockport visited Moss Farm, final-wicket pair Darren Sutcliffe and Mike Whitehead frustrating the visitors’ attack.

Set a target of 186 to win, they struggled to 91-9 with Glyn Cherian (36) and stand-in skipper Sam Shepherd (31) the only batsmen to reach double figures as Tom Kidd took 4-19.

Earlier, Stockport had posted 185-6 with Shahnawaz Khan (39) their leading scorer.

Whitehead (2-39) and Shepherd (2-50) were the hosts’ best bowlers.