WIDNES Cricket Club recorded a rare but emphatic victory at Bowdon in the Cheshire County Cricket League top flight by a margin of five wickets.

When the home side elected to bat it was the Widnes new-ball attack of Gareth Dyson and Steven Titchard that did the damage for Widnes.

Dyson bowled McDougall with his second ball and followed this with two more wickets in his third and fourth overs, both caught behind by Ian Spencer.

It was then Titchard's turn. In his fifth and sixth overs he took three wickets, a caught and bowled and two more catches by Spencer, to leave Bowdon in dire straits at 18 for 6.

A stubborn partnership by opening bat Simon Ball, 53, and number nine, Guy Emmett, 15, gave the innings some respectability but after 36 overs the home side were all out for 86.

Titchard took 4 for 29 from 15 overs, Dyson 3 for 20, Mukherjee 2 for 19 and Sean Moore 1 for 16.

Although Widnes achieved victory by five wickets, it was not without some alarm as Emmett bowled a hostile spell, taking four wickets for 26 from 12 overs.

Titchard, Naughton, Park and Moore all went cheaply and Widnes were indebted to James McCoy, 51, and captain Ian Spencer, 25 not out, to see them home.

This Saturday Widnes entertain Toft, with the game commencing at noon.

Widnes' second team travel to Toft after recording an excellent seven-wicket victory on Saturday at Chester Boughton Hall.

Chester batted first and made 202 for 7, with captain Danny Morris taking 3 for 37 for Widnes.

Tim Wearden anchored the Widnes reply with 86 not out and Anthony Nickson provided the fireworks with three sixes in a quickfire 45 not out.