WARRINGTON were desperately unlucky to lose their first Cheshire Cup final at Wallasey on Sunday, matching the home club all the way in a magnificent game of cricket which went right down to the wire.

Warrington's Ben Smith and Catterall built a steady start which then blossomed into a near century partnership.

Both were dismissed in the 40s but then Hughes and particularly Taylor, who produced a wonderful array of attacking shots, carried the fight to Wallasey as they reached a handy total of 200.

Wallasey's reply did not match Warrington's start but as the innings progressed, each successive partnership built on the one before and control of the game fluctuated.

The asking rate never dropped below five per over across the second half of the innings.

Eleven runs were required from the final two overs.

David de Prez produced an excellent over from which only four runs came. Tony Wright then began the last over with four magnificent deliveries and Wallasey were up against it requiring five from two balls.

Man of the match Conlan then launched desperately into a respectable delivery and the gods were with him as a perfect contact produced the game's first six and Wallasey scraped home.

However, they registered a vital win on Saturday in their quest for a top 12 finish in the Cheshire County League.

It was a positive display against the higher placed visitors from Cheadle Hulme.

Phil Catterall and Aussie Matt Suen put together a century partnership and the 179 runs for seven wickets was backed to be enough to declare.

The bowlers rewarded the captain's faith and a fiery opening spell from the ever improving Tony Wright complemented the precocious skills of David de Prez.

De Prez's four wicket haul took the 17-year-old past 50 league wickets for the season, an unprecedented feat in league history for one so young.

The veteran Agar was meanness personified and as wickets fell at regular intervals Warrington claimed a comfortable 52 run victory.

Warrington suffered the almost inevitable backlash from Sunday's demoralising cup final loss when the pursuit of another essential win in the league campaign ended in a 15 run defeat at the hands of Brooklands on Monday.

De Prez again bowled magnificently, adding a further six wickets to his league tally, but Brooklands were in absolutely no hurry and meandered through their maximum allocation of 55 overs.

Warrington went all out for victory even though they had 10 overs less.

Wickets fell regularly and the chase was continued even with the last pair together and 15 required from seven balls. It was not to be.

Warrington seconds' game against Timperley on Monday was disappointing. Iain Wright's maiden century in senior cricket and 67 from Dave Baxter were positives.

But Timperley, despite being given 56 overs to chase Warrington's 226-2, were content on a draw.

The seconds had emerged well deserved victors against Cheadle Hulme two days earlier.

Wright, James Crissall and skipper Morris pushed Warrington along to 197 all out.

Cheadle Hulme attempted to settle for a draw early after good work from Hughe de Prez and Malcolm Agar. But the return of Coneeny in the gathering gloom proved too much for the tail.

Warrington v Cheadle Hulme

Warrington

P. Catterall ct Woods b Blake 78

B. Smith ct Mather ct Pimlett 0

M. Suen lbw b Woods 34

J. Hughes run out 18

R. Taylor ct Bishop b Blake 3

K. Ollier b Woods 13

I. Sleigh ct Pimlott b Blake 9

M. Caven not out 0

D de Prez not out 8

Extras 16

Total 179-7

Cheadle Hulme: 127. Bowling: A. Wright 8.3-1-2-35, D de Prez 23-4-4-51, P. Agar 14-5-2-24, B. Smith 2-0-1-6, P. Catterall 1-0-0-6.

Warrington 1st v Wallasey

Warrington

P. Catterall b Feather 48

B. Smith ct Hemsworth b Conlan 46

J. Hughes run out 12

R. Taylor ct b Hughes 52

K. Ollier ct b Hughes 5

I. Sleigh not out 20

M. Caven not out 4

Extras 13

Total 200-5

Wallasey: 202-7. Bowling: A. Wright 7.5-0-2-32, D de Prez 8-0-0-27, I. Sleigh 8-0-0-52, M. Agar 8-0-1-50, P. Agar 8-0-2-32.

Warrington v Brooklands

Brooklands: 160-8. Bowling: D de Prez 28-6-6-68, P. Agar 18-5-0-38, A. Wright 9-0-2-40.

Warrington

P. Catterall b Bywater 11

B. Smith ct Gresty b Richards 34

M. Suen lbw Edwards 7

J. Hughes b Bywater 20

R. Taylor ct b Bywater 19

K. Ollier ct Murphy b Bywater 7

M. Caven lbw b Murphy 15

I. Sleigh ct Hoyington b Murphy 9

D de Prez st McDonald b Bywater 12

P. Agar ct Gresty b Bywater 2

A. Wright not out 1

Extras 8

Total 145

Warrington 2nd v Timperley

Warrington 2nd

G. Dyson b Cooper 23

D. Baxter not out 67

J. Crissall ct Fisher b Cooper 6

I. Wright not out 103

Extras 27

Total 226-2

Timperley: 129-6. Bowling: J. Coneeny 11-3-3-25, P. Hitchen 10-1-0-29, H de Prez 12-5-1-23, M. Agar 13-4-3-42.

Warrington 2nd v Cheadle Hulme

Warrington 2nd

I. Wright ct Baker ct Merricks 84

M. Agar ct Bell b Worsley 5

T. Rothwell ct Bunting ct Utting 1

G. Dyson lbw Utting 7

J. Crissall ct Beckley b Worlsey 50

D. Lindop b Worsley 6

A. Kirkby ct Bell b Worsley 4

H. Morris ct Bell b Worsley 21

J. Coneeny run out 1

P. Hitchen not out 1

H de Prez ct Merricks b Worsley 1

Extras 16

Total 197

Cheadle Hulme: 152. Bowling: J. Coneeny 11-3-3-36, P. Hitchen 12-1-2-48, H de Prez 12-4-1-27, M. Agar 11-1-4-32.

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