Widnes lose out in bid to chase down target
THIRD-PLACED Widnes Cricket Club’s first XI travelled to Davenham who went into the clash one place above for their Vivio Cheshire County League Division One fixture on Saturday afternoon hoping to reverse their positions.
It was not to be, however, as the hosts ran out comfortable winners by 60 runs.
Despite being without the unavailable batting talents of Danny Naughton, Alex Hewitt and Ian Spencer, captain Chris Kirby on winning the toss invited his hosts to take to the crease first, believing a run chase was his best chance of achieving a victory.
Opening the bowling with Sean Moore and Ben Hewitt, Widnes made a sound enough start.
Hewitt bowled opener Ben Gough for seven and Moore had his batting partner Mike Sambell caught by Matty Burns in the gully for nine.
From being 25-2, no further wickets were to fall until Kirby made a double bowling change after 20 overs.
Marcus Fourie was immediately successful trapping Peter Gallichan lbw for 19 with the score on 77.
Sam Hunt and James Loveridge added a further 64 for the fourth wicket, Hunt eventually bowled by Danny Moore for a fluent 77.
The medium-pacer managed to take three more wickets, Mark Greaves, who made five and Chris Hornby with 23, both caught behind by Kirby and Loveridge caught at mid-on by Mike Byrne for 40.
But Davenham were maintaining an excellent run rate and Daniel Hancock with 15 not out and Richard Blackie with an undefeated 22 saw the home side to 237-7 at the end of their 50 overs.
Fourie took 1-54 from his 15 overs and Moore claimed 4-93 from his 15. ●
Widnes soon had their backs to the wall losing three wickets to catches behind the wicket.
Burns departed for 12, a wicket for Mathew Worsdale, Phil Catterall went for a single and Sean Moore was out for six, both victims to Ben Gough.
Fourie with a fine 53 and Kirby with 26 led a fightback with a partnership of 49 but following their dismissal only Mike Byrne with a defiant knock of 29 and Ben Hewitt with an aggressive 30 offered fur- ● ther resistance.
Widnes were all out in 47.3 overs for 177.
For Davenham, Gough took 4-58, Hancock 2-28 and Stephen Bliss 2-34.
Six points only for Widnes sees them 45 points behind leaders Oulton Park. This Saturday afternoon, Urmston are the visitors to Beaconsfield Road, the game starting at 1pm. ● BACK at Widnes Cricket Club last Saturday, a tremendous 99 by the home side’s second XI skipper Tim Wearden was the key knock in a Widnes score of 232-5 against their counterparts from Davenham.
Davenham were then dismissed for 120 with Dominic Cain taking three wickets and Louis Burns and Raj Singh two apiece.
The seconds travel to Urmston on Saturday (1pm) whilst on Sunday Chester Boughton Hall Academy are at Beaconsfield Road playing the third Xl (2pm).