Cricket: Whitmore move up to third

WHITMORE moved up to third after an 85-run win against Stafford – which left them 31 points behind second place.

Stafford appeared to be on course to ease their relegation worries after Sean Connolly took 7-28 to dismiss Whitmore for 135.

Irfan Fazil top-scored with 57, while opener Rob Dixon added 29.

However, the Stafford batsmen could not emulate Connolly's performance and they were bowled out for just 50.

Fazil was the chief architect of their downfall with an impressive 6-27, while Stafford captain Guy Seaton (17no) was the only batsman to reach double figures.

The defeat left Stafford just two points clear of the relegation zone.

Norton moved up to fourth after they survived a poor start to run out comprehensive 98-run winners against relegation-threatened Kidsgrove, who are second-bottom.

None of Norton's top four batsmen reached double figures as Najaf Shah impressed on his way to 3-58.

However, former Yorkshire opener Simon Kellett steadied the ship with an unbeaten 81, while Staffordshire all-rounder Greg Willott provided excellent support with 57, which enabled captain Tony Dutton to declare on 189-5.

Kidsgrove could only muster 91 in their run chase, with Anthony Green making 37.

They were undone by David Reynolds (3-5), Willott (3-16) and Dutton (3-21).

Cheadle captain Simon Plant took 6-64 to set up his side's three-wicket victory over mid-table rivals Blythe.

Opener Martin Bailey struck a 116-ball 79 for Blythe, but his dismissal saw them slip from 157-2 to 226 all out.

Professional Shaun Rashid supported his captain well to finish with 4-69.

In the reply, the match was firmly in the balance when Cheadle were reduced to 103-4.

But 63 from Adam Alcock and William Riley's 60 put Cheadle on course for the 20 points.

Peter Finch produced a sterling bowling effort to claim 4-57 for Blythe.

Crewe remain bottom of the pile after a 41-run defeat by Rode Park and Lawton.

Crewe's bowlers excelled early in the match as Nauman Alavi (4-32), Nolan McKenzie (3-28) and Hasmin Naseer (3-38) dismissed Rode Park and Lawton for 119.

Neil Chadwick (35) and Stuart Nixon (28) were the main contributors to the total.

But Rode Park and Lawton opening bowler Richard Irons quickly extinguished any hopes Crewe had of victory by taking 6-29 as Crewe could only muster 78.

Naseer top-scored with 31, but Crewe remain in real relegation trouble after 13 matches without a win.

Sandyford were denied the chance to keep their promotion hopes alive after their match with Meir Heath was abandoned because of the weather.