WINNINGTON Park were left feeling the heat in first division promotion stakes after soaring temperatures got the better of the bowlers.

They visited Brooklands on Saturday and opened the batting in temperatures that reached nearly 40 degrees. Park took 19 off the first three overs, but Lewis was the first to go, scoring 11. Sinclair soon followed for 10, with the score on 25 and Tom Allan and David Leech also went for 14 and 2 respectively. Little was caught at point for an impressive 57, but when Mike Johns joined the attack he soon started to run out of partners. Large went for 18 and Hayes was caught behind for 8. Johns took the score up to 166 before he was run out for 31 and Dave Hine brought Park to 184-9 off 50 overs.

And despite a good start to the bowling, which saw Paul Allen take Neil Ogden for 1 in the fourth over, Park succumbed to the heat. Birchall played an excellent innings of 83 before being dismissed and Cassidy scored 51. Britton and Chamberlain finished the game off for Brooklands, reaching 187-4 off 44.5 overs.

Park play at home on Saturday against Heaton Mersey - a must-win game for Park if they want to challenge for promotion.