Hyde skipper James Duffy scored an unbeaten 125

WITH Chester Boughton Hall losing to bottom club Alderley Edge, Hyde took the opportunity to regain top spot in the ECB Premier League with a seven wickets win at Macclesfield.

Weakened by the loss of leading batsman Warren Goodwin, who broke a thumb playing for Cheshire in mid-week, Chester were skittled for their lowest tally of the summer, 132, to which Ollie Law contributed 51, Chris Reid taking 3-33 and Jason Whittaker 3-88.

Alderley Edge, who had previously won only one game, coasted home at 135-1 from 26.2 overs, Mark Currie 71 not out and Alan Day, 32, opening up with a 110 partnership. This moves them out of the relegation zone for the first time.

Hyde picked up maximum points at Macclesfield after sending their hosts in to total 195-9, Rob Porter 48 not out, Khalid Sawas 47, Dan Cranmer 4-52.

Hyde were in trouble at 11-3, but skipper James Duffy, with a superb 125 not out and Rob Woolley, 52 added 185 without being parted for the fourth wicket to close on 196-3 and take maximum points.

Change of fortune for Oulton Park

Nantwich lie a solitary point behind Hyde after their easiest win of the summer, by eight wickets at Oulton Park in a match completed by 4.15 p.m. Martin East (29) top-scored for an Oulton side unrecognisable from that which won the Premiership as recently as 2009, although their selection problems have intensified by long-term injuries to Rick Moore (stress back fracture) and Craig Williamson (damaged shoulder). In this game, they had no answer to the accurate pace bowling of one of their former players, Alex Matthews who took 3-14 and Jimmy Warrington, 3-52. The Dabbers knocked off the runs inside 16 overs, Chris Simpson being not out with 35 not out, while Aussie Glen Batticciotto was caught on the boundary for 34 to reach a runs tally of 1,072.

Brilliant bowling by newly-capped England Under 15 leg-spinner Rob Jones helped Toft win by 42 runs and send Grappenhall crashing to the foot of the table. Toft declared on 251-6, Aussie Aaron Sayers 112, Ed Stubbs 41, Steve Titchard 3-96. Grappenhall were then all out for 210, Tony Hurdley 41, Ian Wright 34, teenager Jones taking 7-88 off 22 overs.

Oxton edged up to fourth place with a three wickets home win over Urmston, who mustered a paltry 131 on the near-perfect Townfield Lane pitch. Andy Birley bowled unchanged for 24.3 overs in the heat to return 6-51, while Ross Dixon claimed 3-35. Dixon, 34 not out went on to top score in Oxton’s reply of 132-7, Sumit Panda claiming 4-43.

Neston came off second-best from their drawn visit to Didsbury, the home side declaring at 215-9, Tim Gregory 68, David Hurst 4-49. Neston reached 195-8, Gareth Peers 34 not out, Jack Smith 30, Jonnie Fawcett 4-72.