Widnes 1st XI 216 for 4 wickets declared (50 overs)

TOFT 1st XI 182 for 8 wickets (50 overs) match drawn

ON A glorious Saturday Widnes took full advantage of winning the toss to bat first on a flat slow wicket.

However, Cornes drew first blood when he bowled Catterall and then took the second wicket to a catch by Meadows with the total at 42. The third wicket fell at 64, clean bowled by Roy after 19 overs. Muirhead and Roy put the brakes on the scoring and after 31 overs the score was 96.

The batsmen were making laboured progress up to the 39th over but then started a systematic assault on the bowling and the Toft fielding began to wilt.

The fourth wicket fell to a run-out 174 and the Widnes innings was declared closed at 216 for 4.

Bowling for Toft, Cornes 2 for 53 and Roy 1 for 29.

Toft started badly losing Muirhead for seven with the total on 13 and found the going tough scoring only 30 off 14 overs.

Their second wicket fell when Richard Hardstaff was caught at mid-off. A partnership of 50 between Simon Hardstaff and Carolan took the score to 80. Hardstaff was bowled for 33.

Roy was out for one and a further setback reduced Toft to 88 for 5, Carolan caught behind for a skilful 31.

At 99, Nutting was caught and bowled for 11 off a crashing drive.

Blackburn played in typically aggressive fashion and struck 39 before being bowled.

Noble was stumped for 35 chasing a wide ball.

Griffiths and Cornes played out for a draw, but wickets fell at crucial moments.

Toft travel to Congleton on Saturday for a 1.30pm start.