WIDNES picked up an excellent Cheshire County Cricket League success against Toft on Saturday to move up to second place on the ladder.

They defeated Toft by five wickets, chasing the home side's 248 and winning with two overs to spare.

It was a much-improved performance by Sean Moore opening the bowling for Widnes. He took the first two wickets to fall, bowling 7 for 34.

Bappa Mukherjee was the mainstay of the Widnes attack, bowling 22 overs and taking 4 for 62.

Toft declared after 55 overs on 248 for 7 with Andrew Bones scoring an excellent 129 before falling to Mukherjee.

Widnes commenced their reply in aggressive fashion with James McCoy crashing five fours in the first two overs.

When he was caught in the seventh over he had made 39 of the 45 runs scored.

Things became more sedate after that with Steve Titchard and Danny Naughton seeking out runs against the all-spin attack of Muirhead and Durrant.

Having made a sound 32, Naughton pulled Durrant straight to midwicket to leave Widnes 95 for 2 after 25 overs.

Twenty-five runs later Cameron Park was out from lbw.

Tony Hurdley and Titchard took the score on to 158 before Hurdley was bowled by Muirhead for 25.

Captain Ian Spencer soon followed, another lbw victim to Durrant.

With 88 runs still required for victory in 14 overs, Phil Catterall joined Titchard in what was to be a match-winning partnership.

Catterall missed no opportunity, scoring off 22 of the 30 balls he faced.

Once passed 50 Titchard also broke loose with a series of powerful off drives, which broke the hearts of Muirhead and Durrant.

Catterall brought up an excellent win for Widnes by hitting the first ball of the 53rd over for four, leaving him 38 not out and the unfortunate Titchard on 99.

Widnes can look forward to entertaining leaders Hyde in a fortnight's time, but only after Saturday's trip to Oxton.