YET again Widnes continued to lose a game that appeared to be theirs for the taking.

Alderley Edge may be league leaders but they were mightily relieved not to have lost last Saturday.

Phil Catterall won the toss yet again and elected to bat.

He was soon at the wicket himself as Paul Bryson was caught at gully off Steve O'Shaugnessey's second ball.

Brent Lodding and his captain took the score on to 36 before Lodding was caught for a dour 12.

Alan Hithcmough joined Catterall in what was to be the most profitable partnership of the innings.

They took the score to 86 in the 34th over when Catterall misjudged a drive and dragged the ball onto his wicket.

Only two more were added before Tony Hurdley became O'Shaugnessey's second victim, lbw for nought.

Brian Tobin shared a 20 run partnership before Hitchmough was dubiously given run out.

Simon Tabb quickly followed in similar fashion but Hurstfield joined Tobin and their score of 21 and 43 respectively, along with a not out 10 from Andrew Woods saw Widnes reach 168 for eight when the declaration became mandatory at the end of the 55th over.

The Alderley Edge opening batsmen Lennard and Eaton made a comfortable start to their innings against the bowling of Ali and Woods.

Ali made the breakthrough when he had Eaton stumped by Lodding for 13.

Barnes and Lennard took the score on to 59 when Howie Fox, in his first over, bowled Lennard.

Usher and Barnes continued to make steady progress and had taken the score on to 87 when Tony Hurdley took the first of his three wickets bowling Barnes for 27.

He followed suit by bowling Manton with the score on 99 and then O'Shaugnessey with the score of 111.

Two further wickets fell with the score on 114, one each to Fox and Ali and Widnes could sense victory with their visitors still requiring 55 runs and only three wickets remaining.

But, as so often has been the case throughout the season, the inability to take tail end wickets was to cost Widnes dear.

Fluck, Bolton and later Wilding were to show Ali and Hurdley no respect and with scores of 15, 27 and 14 saw Alderley Edge home with two wickets and three balls to spare.

Woods, a major threat early in the season, was given only four overs whilst Ali bowled 20 and appeared to cause little threat towards the end.

Further gloom for Widnes as the Monday Bank Holiday game at Heaton Mersey also ended in defeat.

Batting first Widnes were bowled out for 129.

Heaton Mersey reached the target of 130 with six wickets to spare.

Their two defeats leave Widnes uncomfortably close to a relegation spot and next Saturday's home game against Upton takes an increasing significance, wickets pitched at 12.30pm.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.