APPLETON were on the receiving end of a special innings as they bowed out of the Cheshire Cup after being hammered at Weston on Sunday.

The visitors actually won the toss and elected to field first in what looked to be favourable conditions for bowling, but they did not bank on Weston captain and wicketkeeper Joe Gates producing an extraordinary knock.

The Appleton bowlers simply had no answer for Gates as he powered his way to a stunning 222 not out from just 155 balls, including 29 fours and seven maximums.

Phillip Marsh also chipped in with 55 as Weston finished on a mammoth 382-5 from 45 overs, with Alex Warham and Dan Sadanno picking up two wickets each for the visitors.

Appleton were always up against it and they had only reached 73-5 when the rain intervened after 25 overs of their reply, with wicketkeeper Jim Warham unbeaten on 31.

No further play was possible, meaning the visitors fell to a heavy 309-run defeat on run rate.

They will look to bounce back when they return to league action with a trip to Sandbach on Saturday, while the seconds face a local derby against Warrington’s thirds at Lyons Lane.

The thirds travel to Holmes Chapel, while the fourths are also in local derby action against Glazebury.