A devastating spell of pace bowling from Jimmy Warrington kept Nantwich Cricket Club’s hopes of winning the Cheshire ECB Premier League title alive.
Having won the toss and chosen to bat at Grappenhall, the Dabbers were bowled out for 157 and failed to use six of their 50 overs.
And the home side looked to be in prime position when they moved to 33 without any alarm.
But Warrington then produced a trademark stint, removing the top five of the Grappenhall order and finishing with 6-27 from ten overs as Nantwich secured a 50-run victory and 20 points.
It was Warrington’s fourth five-wicket haul of the Cheshire County Cricket League season and means he now has 40 wickets for the season.
Simon Mugava chipped in with three wickets, following up his breezy 30 with the bat.
Ali Chughtai was the only other Nantwich batsman to make an impression, hitting a run-a-ball 37.
The win sets up a crucial showdown with leaders Hyde CC at Whitehouse Lane on Saturday.
With four matches of the season left to play, Hyde have a 24-point advantage over Nantwich with Didsbury a further 21 points adrift.
Nantwich will have to beat Hyde to have any realistic chance of becoming champions and all support will be welcome at the club on Saturday.
The game starts at 11.30am and the bar will be open all day.
While the first team kept their title hopes alive, the 2nds took a giant step towards promotion from Division One with an impressive win over Sale at Whitehouse Lane.
Alan Chesters’ side now have a 29-point cushion at the top of the table with four matches left to play.
Chesters won the toss and put Sale into bat and three wickets for Jake Pearson and two apiece for Joe Bolton, Noah Birchall and Jakob Jordan saw the visitors bowled out for 173.
Jackson Bentley took six catches behind the stumps.
At 72-6, Nantwich looked to be in serious trouble in their run-chase but Pearson calmly took charge, enjoying a 52-run partnership with Chesters (20) for the seventh wicket and an unbeaten 40 with Bolton (11no) to see the Dabbers home.
Pearson hit one six and 11 fours in his match-winning 82 not out.
Arthur Bate took three wickets for the Saturday thirds as Newcastle and Hartshill CC scored 175-8 from their 40 overs and that proved to be plenty for a home victory as Nantwich fell 89 runs short.
The Sunday thirds also lost after choosing to bat at Stockport Georgians CC.
Oliver Howell made 36 and Max Hassall hit 38 but the Dabbers were restricted to 166-6 from their 40 overs and the home side reached their target for the loss of only four wickets and with 13 overs to spare.
The Cheshire Women’s Cricket League Division One title race looks like going down to the wire as Nantwich recorded another impressive win to put themselves within a point of league leaders Didsbury.
Having won the toss at home to Leigh CC, Nantwich chose to bat and Grace Michell’s 52 was the centrepiece of their 164-6 from 40 overs.
Bethan Hughes made 34 and Charlotte Neal was unbeaten on 37.
Leigh made a good fist of trying to reach their target but a couple of wickets apiece for Bethan Robinson and Eleanor Sinker helped restrict the visitors to 158-8, giving the home side a crucial six-run victory.
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