Cricket: Atapattu helps Maer climb Stone League

MAER and Onneley climbed to second in the Premier Division after a 53-run victory over Oakamoor.

Greg Brown hit a vital 35 as Maer could only reach 110, while brothers Neil Bond (4-23) and Carl Bond (3-34) were the pick of the bowlers for Oakamoor.

But those bowling displays were upstaged by Saj Atapattu's superb return of 6-18, as Oakamoor crumbled to 47.

The 25-point win saw Maer replace Hanford in second place.

Elsewhere, leaders Sandon were frustrated by bad weather in their match against Staffs Moorlands.

Steve Greatholder was on form for Sandon, taking 7-68 in Moorlands' innings of 213-8, before rain stopped play.

It was a similar story at Stafford, whose game against Cheadle/Wootton was also abandoned.

Stafford's innings collapsed to 65-8 before opener Iain Atherton (65) helped to push the score up to 141. Tom Gavin and Tim Ley took three wickets each for Cheadle.

Only 12 overs were possible in reply as Cheadle reached 47-2.

Meanwhile, Ashcombe Park's match against Oldfields also fell victim to the weather.

Steve Wild took 4-57 in Ashcombe's total of 151, but rain intervened after Oldfields reached 5-1.