ESPITE an encouraging start when a home victory looked a distinct possibility Widnes just managed to hang on for a draw against Macclesfield last Saturday.

On a wicket that always looked likely to take spin the visitors won the toss and elected to bat.

Gareth Dyson, bowling downhill, looked menacing and it was no surprise that he captured both early wickets to fall.

Reed was caught and bowled and Gareth caught behind. Tuffnel and Australian Wrigglesworth took the score on to 66 before Sean Higgins took the vital wicket off the Australian, caught Caterall for 22.

Tuffnel soon followed caught by the same player off the bowling of Ibraham Ali for 31.

Two more wickets followed for Ali and Macclesfield were precariously positioned at 79 for six.

However as one might expect from a top of the league side the latter Macclesfield batsmen showed their metal, particularly Ackerley and Melrose, who made 36 and 30 respectively.

Despite Ali finishing with seven wickets for 60 there was the distinct feeling the visitors had been let off the hook as they were finally all out for 187 in the 62 over.

Lodding opened the Widnes innings with late inclusion Weardon against a hostile attack of Wrigglesworth and Hillaby.

Runs were hard to come by and Wearden soon succumbed fending the Australian to point.

Snook soon followed lbw to the same bowler for two.

Alan Hitchmough who looked just as assured as his partner, joined Lodding and together they put on 65.

The Macclesfield bowling relentlessly tight and the wicket, now crumbling, was making life unpleasant for the batsmen.

Hitchmough fell for 22, Dyson followed almost immediately for nought and captain Evans just as quickly for one.

Victory was now almost impossible and Lodding who had worked hard for his 52, disparingly attempted to bat over the top only to be caught at mid-off.

Could the tail hang on for a draw?

Just, thanks to some sterling defence from the injured Caterall and Ibraham Ali.

Eight points to Widnes but not enough and they remain firmly entrenched at the bottom of the table.

This weekend they visit Oxton.

The second eleven are at home to the same club on Saturday whilst the third eleven entertain Warrington on Sunday.

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