DAVENHAM, beaten in three of their previous four Division One matches, moved further from the relegation zone by beating Christleton.

They posted 184-6 after batting first at Butcher’s Stile on Saturday, when Phil Sharples (51no) contributed runs down the order in an unbroken partnership worth 77 with Ben Gough (31no).

Callum Begg (33) and John O’Sullivan (25) had put on 62 for the second wicket earlier in the innings.

Christleton crumbled to 62 all out, with 10 of their batsmen dismissed for single figures in the face of fine bowling from Robin Taylor (7-34).

Davenham, who rise to eighth in the table, are 53 points clear of the bottom two.

Middlewich continue to prop up their rivals after they were routed for 45 – the lowest total in the league this season – at home to Timperley.

Chris Page (7-16) and Jack White (3-28) blew away a line-up in which captain Nick Gill (13) was leading scorer.

The visitors needed only 11 overs to reach their target at 46-2, Andrew Zimmer (2-23) taking the wickets to fall.

Oulton Park kept alive their hopes of a return to the Premier Division following a tie with leaders Sale at Little Budworth.

The table-toppers were dismissed for 220, kept in check by Guy Emmett (3-63) and Iro de Silva (3-52) after Ian Dixon (36) and Ryan Rickelton (38) had put on 73 for the first wicket.

Captain Chris Canning (60) contributed a half-century.

Oulton had to settle for a share of the spoils at 220-8 after Andy Mills was run out by Tyrone Lawrence off the contest’s final ball.

Earlier, Martyn East (31) and Daniel Leech (47) shared in a first-wicket stand worth 54 before the latter added a further 56 with de Silva (39).

Third-placed Oulton take 16 points, but still trail Sale by 27 with four matches left.

Weaverham rose to fourth place as a reward for a comfortable 89-run success at Cheadle Hulme, where they totalled 197.

Kevin Waterhouse (60) and Matt Jamieson (51) both scored half-centuries.

The Russets then ran through the home team’s order for 108, with Antiguan all-rounder Wilden Cornwall (4-24) the pick of an attack in which Kevin Douglas (2-16) and Rob McMillan (2-31) claimed a double each.

Northwich completed a double against lowly Bredbury in Division Two.

The visitors ran up 163 after being put in, Sri Lankan Chamindu Ishanka (43) and James Plant (26) their top-scorers.

Darren Carr (61) accounted for half of the hosts’ total as they were bowled out for 121, Ishanka (5-27) completing a fine all-round display with support from Andrew Dufty (4-24).

Results

Vivio Cheshire County League 
Division One, Saturday: Cheadle Hulme 108 Weaverham 197; Davenham 184-6 Christleton 62; Middlewich 45 Timperley 46-2; Oulton Park 220-8 Sale 220; Oxton 166-6 Didsbury 77; Tattenhall 144 Urmston 75.

Division Two: Alvanley 184 Mobberley 248-5; Bredbury 121 Northwich 163; Irby 201-6 Widnes 204-5; Stockport 179-8 Brooklands 160; Upton 177-5 dec Congleton 158-9; Warrington 69 Bollington 70-1.