MIDDLEWICH bowlers found the weather, and Ashton's hard-hitting batsmen, too hot to handle at Haddon Field on Saturday.

The visitors only scored 12 runs off their first ten overs and 36 off the first 20, before the innings erupted into a frenzy of boundaries.

Steve Warner flayed the toiling Middlewich bowlers in an innings of 97, including nine fours and six huge sixes. Ably supported by Schroder (53) and Webb (55 not out), Warner's big hitting allowed Ashton to amass 251-6 after 50 overs.

With only four regular bowlers on duty, the home team were glad to see the tea interval arrive.

In reply, Dominic Simpson, Lee Challinor and Gavin Tomlinson all batted well but a sudden fall of wickets plunged Middlewich from 99-3 to 105-6. Any chance of a big run chase had melted away.

Stuart Price (33) supported Tomlinson in allowing Middlewich to bat out for a draw well short of their target. Tomlinson finished with an excellent 71 not out, his team reaching 191-8.

Middlewich took nine points, Ashton-on Mersey 16.

This weekend, Middlewich go to Stockport Georgians away in the Murray Smith League on Saturday, before their home match against Wallasey in the Quinn Foden Cheshire Cup quarter-final on Sunday.

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