Endon lift title after a weekend of washouts

ENDON didn’t mind the rain falling as their abandoned game against Oakamoor saw them crowned NSSCL Division Three champions.

The elements had denied them a crack at promotion on the final day last season as their eagerly-anticipated clash against Bagnall Norton – who went up – was washed out.

Second-placed Kidsgrove saw their game at Rode Park & Lawton called off, but it didn’t damage their promotion hopes as nearest rivals Moddershall & Oulton also suffered a similar outcome to their encounter with

There was some play in the division and Crewe did their best to claim victory in their home game against Silverdale seconds.

Crewe motored to 185-1 from only 17 overs before declaring their innings closed.

Martin Dawson hit the accelerator to smash 101, while Nick Lange added 67 not out, to power the Cheshire hosts to a rapid score.

Silverdale had 24 overs to bat in reply, but Lange’s 4-12 had them rocking in the early stages of their innings.

However, the prospect of defeat was averted by Mahfuj Miah, who made 32 not out, to steer the visitors to 64-5 when time was called.

Hanford were 32-1 in their home game with Sandbach before the players left the field for the final time and play was called off for the day.

The weather badly hit the Division Two schedule, but it was raining points for Sandyford.

The Shelford Road side banked the points on their trip to Stafford to put themselves in a commanding position to win promotion back to Division One attempt.

Sandyford had started the day three points adrift of Woore, who held the second promotion spot, but Tas Hussain’s side saw their clash at Porthill Park seconds abandoned without a ball being bowled.

And that opened the door for Sandyford to dodge the showers to win at Riverway and move 20 points clear of their rivals in the battle to join champions Bagnall Norton in making the step up.

There’s just two weekends of the campaign remaining and Sandyford took a decisive step towards clinching second place after skittling Stafford for just 109.

Mo Ahmed top-scored with 35, but the exploits of Matheesa Rasuwan Perera Korala Kankanamalage (4-23) and Callum Harrison (3-33) at the first left the visitors in control.

They still had to get a wriggle on in the run chase, though, and managed to claim a two-wicket win, despite Paul Freeman taking 5-49 and Luke Morien picking up 3-36.

Stafford picked up six points from the clash, but they could prove to be so crucial as they now sit 42 clear of secondfrom-bottom Leycett, with just 50 to play for.

Leycett’s home clash with Bagnall Norton fell victim to the weather.

The only other Division Two match to see any action was between Norton in Hales and Alsager.

Norton in Hales had progressed to 42-2 before the weather intervened and early handshakes were the order of the day.

Four matches started in NSSCL Division One and it was the Little Stoke v Weston

game which came closest to providing a positive result.

James Ecclestone helped himself to an unbeaten 100, containing 16 fours and three sixes and coming off just 93 balls, as Little Stoke reached 193-5 declared.

Sairaj Patel lent support with 32, while there were a couple of wickets apiece for Mohammed Kaleem and Chris Barratt.

Weston had 19 overs to bat in reply and managed to progress to 127-7 as Dewi Jones top-scored with 38.

However, left-arm spinner Gareth Morris’ 3-32 – which took him past 400 first-team wickets for Little Stoke – prevented them from making further inroads in to their target.

Elsewhere in the division, action was curtailed in the formative stages of proceedings.

Wood Lane had made a rocky start at Caverswall, reaching 27-2, before the rain ended the prospect of any further play.

Knypersley were 22-1 at table-topping CHEADLE when play was abandoned, while Eccleshall were 25-1 on their visit to Moddershall & Oulton.

The games between Betley and Audley and Newcastle & Hartshill and Barlaston were abandoned without a ball being bowled.

Betley have already been relegated, while Barlaston find themselves 31 points adrift of safety with two matches left to play.

Cheadle now need to just eight points to secure promotion back to the Premier Division, while Moddershall & Oulton look favourites to join them as they lie 23 points ahead of third-placed Wood Lane.