OULTON Park bowled out Middlewich in Division One on Saturday, but were denied by poor light from chasing a victory.

The visitors to Little Budworth limped to 34-3 before 15 overs were lost to rain.

Home team skipper Pat Roberts, normally a wicket-keeper, then removed his pads for a short spell of bowling that yielded 5-39.

Kristian Clowes (50) hit a rapid half-century, including five sixes, to boost Middlewich’s tally to 169 after James Cornford (35) had hit seven boundaries earlier in the innings.

For Oulton, Tom Hyslop held on to two smart catches; one at second slip, the other at gully from a skier.

However the hosts’ openers never made it to the crease.

Davenham’s trip to Timperley was abandoned after 18 overs with their opponents on 85-2, while there was no play at all in Weaverham’s scheduled head-to-head with Didsbury at Wallerscote Road.

It leaves the Russets second in the table, 10 points adrift of early pacesetters Sale.

In Division Two, Northwich recovered from Glyn Cherian’s dismissal for a first-ball duck to reach 50-2 before play was halted in the 12th over.

Youngster Sam Stoneley (29no), their leading scorer last week against Widnes, was again among the runs.

Results

Vivio Cheshire County League 
Division One, Saturday:
All matches abandoned.

Division Two: Bredbury 238-8 Bollington 243-2; all other matches abandoned/cancelled.