Nantwich Cricket Club 1sts collected their opening win of the season as they enjoyed a successful start to their ECB National Cup campaign.
Put into bat at Audley CC, they got off to a decent start, thanks mainly to an attractive half-century from opener Ali Chughtai.
A flurry of wickets left the visitors on 94-5 but a partnership of 82 between Jake Pearson (42no) and Jason Foulkes (60) steadied the ship.
Foulkes’ knock included six sixes but he was then one of four batsmen to depart inside three overs, leaving the Dabbers on 178-9.
But Mitchell Spencer (20) kept Pearson company in an invaluable last-wicket stand of 46, setting Audley a target of 225 from their 40 overs.
And that number looked within reach when the home team got to 136-2 from 28 overs but Scott Wardley (4-41), Mitchell Spencer (3-17) and Oliver Griffiths (2-21) combined to knock over the last eight batsmen for only 14 runs to give Nantwich a 74-run victory.
They will now play Himley, from the Birmingham League, in the next round.
The cup victory was a welcome win after a second successive loss in the defence of their Cheshire County Premier League title on Saturday.
After putting Timperley CC into bat, Nantwich produced a good all-round bowling display to dismiss the home side for 213.
Wardley, Griffiths, Foulkes and Jimmy Warrington took a couple of wickets apiece.
But in reply, Ray Doyle’s side lost wickets regularly and only Ben Wright (46) and Griffiths (30) offered any serious resistance as Timperley bowled themselves to a 59-run win.
Nantwich will be hoping to get their first league win of the campaign when table-topping Didsbury come to Whitehouse Lane this Saturday for a midday start.
All spectators are welcome and the bar will be open all day.
In contrast to the firsts, Alan Chesters’ seconds have won both of their opening games in the Premier Division, having notched up a comfortable home success against Brooklands CC.
Having elected to field, Nantwich bowled out the visitors for 150, Joe Bolton (4-40) and Denny Morgan (4-40) doing the majority of the damage.
A classy 70 from young opener Jakob Jordan meant Nantwich were always cruising to victory and they got there with six wickets in hand.
A knock of 46 was the highlight of the Saturday third eleven’s 132 all out after they had been put into bat at Oakamoor CC but the home side got home with six wickets to spare.
The Sunday thirds, though, had a spectacular eight-wicket win in their home game against Middlewich thirds.
Mark French and Noah Birchall took three wickets apiece as the visitors were dismissed for 91 and Nantwich reached their target from 33 balls, Jackson Bentley hitting five sixes and nine fours in a 20-ball 70.
There was a much tighter game between Leigh CC and Nantwich in the Cheshire Women’s Cricket League.
Put into bat at Leigh, Nantwich made 157-3 from their 40 overs, Charlotte Neal the top-scorer with 63 and Bethan Hughes chipping in with 36.
Morganne Prince took three wickets in Leigh’s reply but the home team – down to their last wicket – hit the winning run from the last ball.
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