MIDDLEWICH went down by 88 runs at home to Bowdon in Division One on Saturday, when they were set a target of 261 to win.

Kieran Boyle (41 off 43 balls) and David Bates (32 off 27) quickly put on 50 runs for the second wicket, only for the former’s dismissal to prompt wickets to fall regularly.

Richard Scott (6-49) chipped away at the hosts’ line-up, in which Stuart Price (29) and Christian Goulding (27) made starts, to end their victory hopes at 172.

Earlier, James McDougall (109no off 88 deliveries) made a career-best contribution as Bowdon raced to 260-2 before declaring after 42 overs.

Davenham eased to a six-wicket win against Northwich at Butcher’s Stile, where the visitors collapsed to 56-9 after choosing to bat first.

Last-wicket duo Chris Yearsley (75) and Callum Sutcliffe (17no) doubled their tally to 117 before he was caught by Dave Ashley off the bowling of Tom Woodward.

Ashley (3-15) and Oli Gallagher (2-13) was among the wickets too.

After tea, Chris Hornby (49no) and Mark Jones (24no) saw their side to victory after a wobble at 49-4.

Jordan McDonough (2-26) removed both openers.

Oulton Park were victors by four wickets at Irby, where they successfully chased 121 to win.

Captain Mark Johnson (46no) and Elliott Ashwell (16no) took the visitors to their target with an unbeaten partnership worth 71 runs.

Irby had been restricted to 120-7 earlier in the day, when Steve Jackson (3-40) and Thomas Bannister-Wright (3-34) were the Little Budworth outfit’s best performers with the ball.

Weaverham drew at Bredbury St Mark’s, where they posted 301-9 in 50 overs.

However the home team frustrated the Russets’ attack, closing later on 152-9.