WIDNES are still chasing their first league win of the season after being beaten by nine wickets on Saturday by Disbury.

Tony Hurdley cried off shortly before the game with a damaged knee and then, batting first, Widnes lost Phil Catterall in the fourth over for four.

Lodding and Snook shared what was to be the best partnership of the innings and took the score onto 37 before Lodding was caught for 15 attempting an over-adventurous shot.

Snook and Hitchmough took the score on to 54, but then first Hitchmough, Dyson lbw second ball, and Snook fell for the addition of four runs. From 54 for two the score had slumped to 58 for five.

Batting at six, seven and eight, Maher, Evans and Buckley all reached double figures, indeed Maher top-scored with a quick-fire 22, but none could build the significant innings required.

Wickets fell at regular intervals with Higgins being the final man to fall, comprehensively bowled in the 41st over for what was always likely to be an inadequate total of 120.

Didsbury opened with Burns and Lee. Both were soon on their way with boundaries.

Young and particularly Dyson did not bowl badly but the batsmen were quite content to await the over-pitched ball. Young gave way to Ali, who bowled very economically but posed little threat.

The score had reached 65 when Ali finally took the only wicket to fall. He bowled Burns with his quickie arm ball.

Lee who finished on 59 not out and Slater 21 not out, saw Didsbury home without further alarm.

This nine wicket defeat sees Widnes firmly at the foot of the table and only a marked reverse of form will be enough to prevent relegation.

Widnes are away at fourth placed Hyde on Saturday and on Sunday play host to the Cheshire County League Challenge match against the Lancashire County League, wickets pitched at 2pm.

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