Widnes power on as lead grows at the top
AS a result of their excellent seven wicket victory at Northwich in the Vivio Cheshire County League last Saturday, Widnes increased their lead at the top of Division Two.
Rain delayed the start at Moss Farm and reduced the game to 31 overs per side.
Widnes skipper Chris Kirby won the toss and asked Northwich to bat, entrusting the new ball to Fayaz Ughradar and Danny Moore.
After just three overs the hosts were in real trouble at 9-3 with Ughradar accounting for Sam Stoneley, caught behind by Kirby for five and Glinoj Cherian bowled for one.
Moore had opposition captain Mark Walker caught by Danny Naughton at slip without scoring.
Chandrika Wathupakage and Lee Evans then added 53 for the fourth wicket.
Evans eventually fell, caught by Naughton off the spin of Marcus Fourie for 27. Gladwin Cherian with 13 assisted Wathupakage in taking the score on to 88 before being bowled by Ughradar.
Wathupakage was next to go, caught and bowled by Fourie for a top score of 47.
James Plant (16) and Mathew Duffy (18 not out) then added 37 for the seventh wicket. Plant was stumped by Kirby to give Fourie a third wicket and by the end of their 31 overs, Northwich had posted 135-7.
In response, openers Matty Burns and Naughton made an excellent start for Widnes with a partnership of 67 for the first wicket.
Burns, who had dominated the strike, was the first to go caught by Plant off Mark Walker for 36, an innings that contained five boundaries.
Fourie joined Naughton and they took the score on to 101 before Naughton, who hit four sixes, departed for 46, a second catch for Plant off the bowling of Mike Whitehead.
Sean Moore was bowled by Whitehead for seven, but Alex Hewitt with 22 not out and Fourie with an undefeated 24 saw victory achieved by Widnes with three overs to spare.
Widnes now lead Upton, who could only manage a draw in their game with Lindow, by a very healthy 47 points with Brooklands, who lost to Stockport, in third place nine points further behind.
On Saturday Widnes will play host to Congleton.
Widnes’s second XI enjoyed an easy nine-wicket victory over their Northwich counterparts. They bowled out their visitors for 58 with Daniel Wearden taking taking 5-15, Mike Byrne 3-16 and Tom Keene 2-10.
Byrne with 27 not out and Wearden with and unbowed 17 saw their side to victory in 11 overs.
The seconds, who also top their division, travel to Congleton on Saturday whilst the third XI entertain Northop Hall on Sunday.
Last Sunday, Yorkshire U14s defeated Lancashire U14s by 32 runs in an excellent game at Beaconsfield Road. Batting first, Yorkshire made 209-9 in their 50 overs. In reply, Lancashire were bowled out for 177 in 48.2 overs.
Fayaz Ughradar claimed three wickets for Widnes as they saw off Northwich last Saturday, and with other results going their way they now lead their division by 47 points.