CHASING a target of 155 and then losing the wicket of opening batsmen Andrew Shaw – who didn't face a single ball – would have prompted a Cheadle collapse during their 2008 campaign according to skipper Simon Plant, pictured.

But this year's 11 are made of sterner stuff and with seven batsmen all reaching double figures Cheadle claimed victory and are now breathing down the necks of the Division One table-toppers.

"At 0-1 you're thinking 'is it going to be our day?'" admitted Plant. "And 12 months ago we probably would have bottled it. But the guys showed what they are capable of and that we can pull ourselves through tight games."

Nerves were frayed towards the end as Cheadle left it late to claim a two-wicket victory over Crewe. The Tean Road outfit should have polished off the opposition for less than the total Crewe eventually accrued. At various points in the afternoon the visitors were reduced to 63-5 and 121-8. But veteran Richard Marsh (23no) saw the tail to their eventual total of 155.

Chris Barker finished with the best figures of the Cheadle bowling attack with 4-41 off 16 overs.

Plant added: "At 121-8 they should have been all out for 130 – they probably accumulated around 30 more runs than they should have." And those additional runs ensured Cheadle had to work hard for the victory – particularly after Shaw's early departure. Plant labelled the opener 'the unluckiest man in the world' after losing his wicket without taking strike. Fellow opener Hamza Siddique hit a delivery straight back towards the bowler whose finger-tip deflection hit Shaw's wicket for a desperately unfortunate run-out.

Wickets continued to tumble and at 91-6 Cheadle looked in desperate trouble. But Darren Plant hit 17 important runs before being trapped lbw from a Nolan McKenzie delivery. Then an unbroken ninth-wicket partnership of 25 from Chris Barker (19no) and James Sellers (13no) allowed the home side to close the game out and pick up another 20 points.

Cheadle now travel to lowly Sandyford on Saturday and Plant believes winning the toss will be all-important

"They have won their games batting first at home so hopefully we can win the toss on Saturday," added the skipper. "If we don't bat first we could struggle. As everyone knows the toss can be all-important."