WIDNES Cricket Club defeated Birkenhead Park by three wickets in an eventful Cheshire County Cricket League Premier Division game.

Luke McCoy deputised behind the wicket for delayed captain Ian Spencer and the move worked to good effect.

McCoy combined with Sean Moore to demolish the Park top enders.

Cooper departed after being caught by McCoy off Moore's final ball of the second over.

Moore followed that with a maiden, a double-wicket maiden and a further wicket maiden, with two of them being caught by McCoy.

After five overs Moore had taken four wickets for one run.

McCoy took another catch, this time off Steve Titchard, to leave Park in disarray at 12 for 5.

At that point Shahid Mahmood decided attack was the best form of defence and in a complete reversal of fortune Moore conceded 26 from his next two overs, with Mahmood striking six boundaries.

Bappa Mukherjee was brought into the attack with the score on 59 and Stenhouse departed after being caught at short leg by James McCoy.

When Mahmood was run out for a fine half century at 77 for 7, Widnes sensed an early finish but to their great credit 15-year-old Mike Langford, 51, and Martin Shaw, 36 not out, added 81 for the eighth wicket before Langford was run out.

A 30-run partnership for the last wicket saw Park reach a remarkable 193.

A somewhat deflated Widnes opened with Titchard and Danny Naughton due to James McCoy having a badly bruised arm.

Naughton fell for six but Moore and Titchard took the score on to 51 before Moore departed.

With Titchard dismissed seven runs later and Luke McCoy following almost immediately Park were in the ascendancy at 65 for 4.

Spencer, 45, and the injured James McCoy took the score on to 118 and, after Spencer fell, Mukherjee and McCoy increased the scoring rate to swing the game Widnes' way.

Mukherjee departed for 25 and Cameron Park for nought to leave the game in the balance.

Andrew Woods entered the fray and with three quick boundaries the scores were level.

He then hit the second ball of the final over for six to secure victory for Widnes in emphatic style.