BARNTON increased a cushion on the bottom two in Division One by nine points courtesy of Saturday’s draw at Irby.

Dan Gilbert (3-32) was soon in the wickets and Irby were contained at 58-4 after 19 overs.

But home skipper Mark Newman (63) and Mark Sinclair (42) fought back with a partnership of 81.

Poor fielding let Irby off the hook, with five catches being put down, before improvements and tight bowling of Andy Leese (2-43) pegging back Irby at 180-9.

Jack Whalley (38) and Callum Doyle (27) took Barnton to 60 off 12 overs but after one wicket fell there was a steady procession.

Gilbert (26) tried in vain to keep the middle order intact.

Leese provided some late entertainment as he finished on 14no and Barnton closed on 161-9.

Bottom team Middlewich reduced the deficit to Congleton to three points by beating them convincingly.

Impact was made by James Prime, Alex Gill and Kieran Boyle with both the ball and bat.

Prime (3-22), Gill (3-12), Boyle (2-19) and Phil Parry (2-19) left the home batsmen all out for 74.

Middlewich lost three wickets in pursuit but James Comford (9no) and Gill (13no) steered them home after Prime (20) and Boyle (15) got the response moving.

Kingsley made it seven wins in a row when they overcame Winnington Park by six wickets in Division Two.

Jonny Wales (41) was without a steady partner though 20no from Phil Amatiello late in the order was welcome for a Park side dismissed on 137.

Australian Hayden Lanza (4-41) along with skipper Toby Mullins (3-50) and Adrian Burden (3-16) inflicted the pain on Park.

Opener Ben Stoddart’s 71 included 10 boundaries – four of them sixes – as Kingsley responded in style.

Harris Yassin (26) was the man to flourish best alongside Stoddart before the side reached 141-4 in the 25th over.

Oakmere were 11 runs short of the target they were set in a draw with Prestbury.

Craig Phelan (4-20) and Cj Van Der Walt (3-22) kept the wickets tumbling before Prestbury completed 45 overs at 121-9, the late 25 from Paul Butterworth proving invaluable.

Peter Lee (34no) lacked sufficient support in reply, with the opening five wickets falling for less than 50 runs.

Winsford dropped below opponents Westminster Park following an 83-run defeat.

The visiting bowlers looked in control as they skittled Park to 79-8 but Sai Bharath Kumar Reddy Vanteddu (45no) rescued the innings to some degree as the hosts ended 45 overs on 165-9.

Ben Crellin (3-26) and Sid Mothe (3-57) enjoyed some rewards for their efforts with the ball.

But Winsford’s response failed to gather any momentum, Craig Edmondson (19) being the top scorer in his side’s 82 all out.

Hartford, third from bottom in Division Five, still await their first win of the year after a hefty defeat to Frodsham.

The run-making of Paul Bassett (22) and A Sathish (20no) was not enough as six of their batsmen failed to score, while Gregory Pidgeon took five wickets in helping to dismiss Hartford for 75.

Frodsham overtook the target in the 15th over for the loss of four wickets, three of them taken by Gopal Raju.