BARNTON had the better of a clash with Runcorn, but the men from Broomsedge ran out of time to bowl out their hosts.

After setting their opponents at target of 189 to win, they will have felt confident after in-form Dan Gilbert (4-45) and stand-in skipper Neil Langham (3-42) ripped through the top order.

Jordan Grobbelaar (72no) and David McNamara (48) offered resistance though as their side closed on 153-9.

The away team appeared on course for a big total after Jack Whalley (57) and Adam Garrod (60), followed by Jordan Cobley (33), had accelerated the scoring earlier in the day.

However Grobbelaar (3-26) and McNamara (3-44) applied the brakes.

Middlewich suffered a nine-wicket defeat in the same section at Ashton on Mersey, where they totalled 141-8 in a game reduced by rain to 60 overs.

James Prime (19) and Nick Gill (56 off 54 balls), who struck six fours and three maximums, led a recovery after their side had wobbled at 3-3 – adding 58 runs for the fourth wicket.

However captain Lee Brooks (55no) and Fred Kamstra (77no off 53 balls) hurried the home team to 144-1 during an unbeaten partnership worth 127 runs.

Kingsley survived a scare to record a fifth successive win in Division Two, this time by five wickets against Poynton.

Set a modest target of 112 off 32 overs, they needed chairman Kieron Ollier (42no) and Australian Hayden Lanza (31no) to dig them out of a hole before securing victory with 10 balls to spare.

“We thought the rain would put an end to our run, so I’m relieved we got a game in,” said captain Toby Mullins.

“It was a feisty one too, but that gives us momentum before playing second-placed Prestbury next week.”

Poynton had closed on 111-8 earlier on after first-change pair Tom Waring (3-14) and Adrian Burden (3-37) made a breakthrough.

Oakmere endured an afternoon to forget as they were knocked over for 55 by Ashley, for whom Nick Liddell (6-12) was in rampant form.

Matt Howard took 2-27 for the hosts at Overdale Lane, but he could not prevent a seven-wicket reverse as the visitors eased to victory at 56-3.

Although Winnington Park's fixture at Stockport Trinity survived the weather, the mood in the visitors' changing room matched the rainclouds above.

Fielding first, they struggled to hold onto catches and were made to pay as Trinity ran up an imposing 193-4 before declaring.

Park lost wickets early in their reply before closing on 107-8, with Jonny Wales (45) and captain Alec Butcher (25) the pick of their batsmen.

“We didn’t take our chances, and that made life tough,” reflected Winnington’s skipper.

“We were punished, and did not reach the standards we usually set at the crease or in the field.”

Winsford collapsed, losing nine wickets for 43 runs, during an 18-run reverse at Pott Shrigley in Division Four.

Chasing 137 to win, they appeared on course when David Bates (59) and Devon Hughes (22) put on 75 for the first wicket.

However Arjit Rastogi (4-26) and Jason Hannaghan (3-27) ripped through the order to inflict on the Knights Grange outfit a second league efeat of the campaign.

Earlier, Ben Crellin (5-30) and Sid Mothe (4-31) had combined to bowl out the home side for 136.

Hartford lost by six wickets at home to Mellor in Division Five.

They posted 132-8 in their allotted overs, with Martin Pickup (38) one of five victims for Selwyn Stephenson (5-18).

David Baythorpe (63no) anchored the visitors’ successful reply at Grange Park, closing on 135-4.

Results

UKFast Cheshire League

Week Five

Saturday, May 20

Division One: Ashton on Mersey 144-1 Middlewich 141-8; Congleton 198-4 Stockport Georgians 154-9; Disley 142-7 Hale Barns 137; Irby 94 Haslington 95-5; Port Sunlight 159-8 Lymm 140; Runcorn 153-9 Barnton 188-8

Division Two: Chelford 74 Prestbury 98 Heaton Mersey 146-5 Bunbury 145-9; Kingsley 112-5 Poynton 111-8; Oakmere 55 Ashley 56-3; Stockport Trinity 193-4 Winnington Park 107-8; Wilmslow 146 Woodford 150-9

Division Four: Audlem 184-8 Westminster Park 67; Glazebury 31 Holmes Chapel 34-0; Pott Shrigley 136 Winsford 118; Trafford MV 56 Old Parkonians 57-5

Division Five: Bowdon Vale 101 Heaton Mersey 105-8; Frodsham 66-4 Kerridge 64; Hartford 132-8 Mellor 135-4; Malpas 122-6 Styal 194-5. Cancelled: Rostherne v Mossley.