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Search forCricket: Victory cruise makes Audley leading challengers
09:53 - 21-July-2008
Najaf Shah top-scored with 30 for Barlaston, but Paul Johnson took 3-4 to help limit the division's bottom side to only 103.
Sean Price hit 38 and skipper Dave Fairbanks made 31no in Audley's winning reply.
The division's only other positive result saw Little Stoke beat Stafford by eight wickets.
Gareth Morris took 4-28 from 16 overs and Dan Hancock claimed 3-45 to help skittle Stafford for 123.
Mark Bengry, Richard Sharp and Oliver Stark had all reached the 20s to give Stafford a chance.
But after dismissing Little Stoke's openers cheaply, Richard Harvey (48no) and Hancock (43no) shared a century stand to give the visitors a comfortable win.
Elsewhere, Knypersley were forced to settle for a draw against Longton in a rain-affected match.
Batting first, Knypersley could only reach 106-7 from 35 overs.
Several players had starts without pushing on, while Ross Salmon finished on 26no.
Dave Edwards (4-59) and Nathan Astle (3-50) shared the bowling duties for the whole innings.
And their hard work seemed to have been in vain when Longton slumped to 27-6 in reply. But a determined knock of 44no from Pete Wilshaw in a total of 65-7 helped to save the visitors from defeat.
Rob James took 4-59 for Knypersley, while professional Victor Mpitsang claimed 3-21.
Meanwhile, Porthill Park remain in the bottom two after a stalemate with Stone.
Fazl-e-Akbar led the way with 64 in Porthill's 161-7dec.
Sean Bowers helped to peg back the total with 3-21 from 14 overs.
Stone were soon in trouble on 15-3, but Phil Cheadle and Shaun Jenkinson gave the innings some stability.
Further wickets tumbled – due mainly to Akbar's 5-57 – but Andrew Keates and Sean Bowers guided Stone to 117-8 at the close.
In the remaining game, a last-wicket partnership of 30 saved Burslem from defeat against Wood Lane.
After a disappointing start to Wood Lane's innings, Jeff Maynard (63) and Richard Hassall (39no) contributed well to a total of 214.
Samiullah Khan and Kevin Cockerton took three wickets apiece for Burslem.
In reply, both openers were back in the pavilion without a run on the board for Burslem – and Khalid Malik followed for a duck to make it 1-3.
Michael Brown (31) and skipper Chris Lowndes (46) shared 76 for the fourth wicket, but the visitors were later reduced to 140-9.
With defeat looming, number nine Cockerton (17no) and last man Richard Mellor (19no) thwarted Wood Lane's attack as Burslem reached 170-9.
FOUR-STAR: Gareth Morris.
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