MID Cheshire matched their opponents’ wins tally in a British Ladies’ County Championship opener last weekend but it was not enough to prevent an aggregate defeat.

They lost by 26 chalks against Shropshire, last season’s runners-up.

A testing start to the away leg in Telford left them 44 adrift after four blocks before wins for Joan Nicholas (Norley) and Pat Kennedy (Wharton Cons), plus Barnton Cricket Club’s Wendy Allen scoring 20, closed a gap.

Wharton Cons duo Gill Tench and Hazel Williams were the visitors’ other victors.

Mid Cheshire were dominant on home turf at Castle, where they returned eight winning cards.

However two defeats to single figures, among them homester Viv Raddy, proved costly.

Stacey Linegar (Winnington) and Wharton Cons regular Sue Worrall were the outstanding performers, while there were triumphs too for Nicola Boulton, Dawn Nield and Tamsin Birkett from the Winsford club.

Jennifer Oultram (Castle), Janet Cross (Davenham) and Val Dale (Owley Wood) also reached 21 in a comfortable 214-189 victory.

Wales saw off South Staffordshire by a 30-chalk margin in the other Section Three encounter on Sunday.

Mid Cheshire, promoted from the President’s Division at the end of last season, resume their campaign against Wales next month.

Results

British Ladies' County Championship

Section Three

Sunday, May 19

At St George's Bowling Club, Telford

Sonya Lucas 21-8 Lyn Rankin (Norley)

Jen Rogers 21-10 Jackie Ollier (Castle)

Alison Cotton 21-11 Linda Bell (Norley)

Sian Skelton 21-11 Gill Rigden (Castle)

Natalia Connor 21-20 Wendy Allen (Barnton CC)

Emma Massey-Jones 16-21 Joan Nicholas (Norley)

Molly Sullivan 13-21 Pat Kennedy (Wharton Cons)

Hollie Bishton 21-12 Lisa Downes (Castle)

Jayne Craggs 20-21 Gill Tench (Wharton Cons)

Carleen Doody-Millington 19-21 Hazel Williams (Wharton Cons)

Cheryl Casswell 21-13 Elaine Garner (Norley)

Angela Gaut 21-16 Annie Jones (Castle)

Shropshire 236-185 Mid Cheshire

At Castle Sports and Social Club, Northwich

Viv Raddy (Castle) 5-21 Sally Clee

Sue Worrall (Wharton Cons) 21-7 Helen Clee

Nicola Boulton (Wharton Cons) 21-12 Jane Archer

Jennifer Oultram (Castle) 21-17 Helen Martin

Dawn Nield (Wharton Cons) 21-8 Viv Cooper

Janet Cross (Davenham) 21-18 Jade Jones

Tamsin Birkett (Wharton Cons) 21-17 Jodie Rutter

Rose Walker (Wharton Cons) 20-21 Jackie Rutter

Andrea Bell (Owley Wood) 8-21 Tracy Ryan

Cindie McLean (Wharton Cons) 13-21 Emily Cunningham

Val Dale (Owley Wood) 21-20 Wendy Jones

Stacey Linegar (Winnington) 21-6 Sarah Weaver

Mid Cheshire 214-189 Shropshire

Shropshire win by 26 chalks on aggregate