Widnes on cloud nine with another victory
WIDNES Cricket Club’s first XI increased their lead at the top of the Vivio Cheshire County Cricket League Division Two with another emphatic victory, this time over Congleton at Beaconsfield Road.
Congleton captain Marcus Baxendale won the toss and elected to bat on a surprisingly dry and firm wicket.
Widnes opened up with Ben Hewitt bowling down the hill and Fayaz Ughradar operating from the Derby Road End.
From the outset the Congleton batsmen looked all at sea against the pace generated, particularly that of Hewitt.
In his third over he removed Tom Blease, caught behind by Widnes skipper Chris Kirby for three.
With the score on 15, Hewitt claimed a second wicket when his brother Alex caught Alex Lewis for nine.
One run later Ughradar bowled Baxendale without score and with his next ball he had Jack Higginbotham caught behind without scoring.
In his next over Hewitt took another two wickets. Lyndon Booth was caught by Marcus Fourie for two and Jack Goode grabbed by Ughradar without scoring, reducing Congleton to 23-6.
Ben Scowen, batting at three and having made six to that point, decided to play some attacking shots which led to skipper Kirby introducing Craig Campbell and Fourie.
Whilst the former conceded 20 from his seven overs, Fourie completely bamboozled the tail-end batsmen and finished with the remarkable figures of 3-1 from eight overs, seven of which being maidens.
Appropriately, Ben Hewitt returned to bowl last man John Copeland who had faced 13 balls without scoring.
This gave him the equally impressive figures of 5-8 from 8.3 overs.
Credit must go to Congleton’s Scowden who remained unbeaten with 41 of the all out total of 64.
Widnes needed just 13.2 overs to reach the required target with Danny Naughton hitting six boundaries before falling lbw to Copeland for 28. Fellow opener Matty Burns was nunbeaten on 26 and Fouire finished matters off with a six as the hosts won by nine wickets.
Widnes, who now lead their division by 46 points, travel to Middlewich this Saturday.
Widnes’s second XI lost for the first time this season at Congleton.
Batting first, they posted 221-8 with Dan Wearden hitting 50, Mike Byrne making 45 and Josh Abley adding 34.
Congleton reached a match-winning 222 for the loss of four wickets with five overs to spare.
The seconds host their counterparts from Middlewich this Saturday afternoon.
In a thrilling encounter on Sunday, Widnes’s third XI defeated Northop Hall by two wickets.
The visitors made 204-6 and Widnes secured victory in the last over. Chris Gordon led the way with 61 with other contributions coming from Tom Keen (37), Dan Wearden (28), Matty Burns (26 not out) and Owen Price (21). They travel to Southport & Birkdale this Sunday afternoon.