ALSAGER stunned last year's champions Bowdon on Saturday with an historic thrashing of their shellshocked opponents.

Bowden were demolished by a trio of in form bowlers, being dismissed for only 57 runs in 32 overs.

Alsager cruised to victory with 58 for one in reply, captain Steve Armitage steering them home with an unbeaten 36.

''The Bowden score is the lowest total I can remember any team managing against us in first team cricket,'' said the Alsager skipper.

''Gareth Rowe and Paul Tibbetts played as well as they could, and we put them under tremendous pressure.

''As a result we kept at them, and Eddie Burnett, who has returned to the club, finished the job off. All three bowled brilliantly.''

Bowdon were reduced to 25 for five after losing their top order batsmen, the only significant score coming from their captain Bramhall, who scored 17.

Fellow Alsager pacemen Rowe and Burnett shared eight wickets, Rowe ending with four for 17, and Burnett claiming fourt for 26.

Tibbetts added a further two wickets at a cost of 12 runs.

Alsager took 20 overs to reach the winning post, after being held up for a while by Bowdon's Lancashire opening bowler.

The sensational victory over ninth-placed opponents earned Alsager 25 points, and lifted them to fourth, 39 points behind leaders Macclesfield.

''If we play in August as we have been doing in July we could be looking at a runners-up spot,'' said Steve Armitage.

Alsager 2nds won a place in the semi-final of the 2nd X1 knockout trophy with a home win over Toft on Sunday.

Toft hit 172 in their 40 overs, and Alsager won with one over to spare, captain Gary Pickford scoring an unbeaten 46.

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