NORTHWICH won a tense low-scoring game in spectacular style to maintain their push for promotion.

Matt Lightburn, on his return to first team action after eight weeks away, ripped out the off stump of Castrol's last batsman with seven runs to spare.

Earlier Northwich lost the toss and were asked to bat.

Paul Alcock got the innings off to a good start as he hit 30, but with captain John O'Sullivan missing the Northwich middle order collapsed to 58-6.

Martyn East staged a mini recovery as he hit 29 to take the score past 100 but when he fell the tail quickly followed and Northwich went into tea with a very modest total of 112 to defend, way below par on what appeared to be another good run scoring wicket.

The visitors had reached 34 without losing a wicket when Lightburn made the breakthough.

With Nick Shaw replacing Goolding, the bowlers reduced the visitors to 47-4, including a great catch from Sam Naylor.

Then followed the best partnership of the match as Castrol put on 39 for the fifth wicket.

Northwich's stand in captain Andy Gerrard turned to young spinner Matt Jamieson for inspiration.

He duly did and with Nick Shaw at the other end, the pair swung the game back Northwich's way. They took five wickets for four runs in six overs to leave Castrol teetering at 90-9.

With the dusk gathering Lightburn returned and his third ball was a yorker, which was just dug out by the batsman.

The next ball was in the same spot but quicker and it sent the stump, the bowler, most of the Northwich players and the younger spectators cartwheeling.

Lightburn finished with 3-26, Nick Shaw 4-38 and Jamieson 3-23 to give Northwich 21 vital points and stay in contention at the top of Division Three