In a closely fought contest, Middlewich 3rd XI were edged out by 3 wickets away at Oxton, despite a solid team batting effort and a disciplined bowling performance.

Batting first after losing the toss, Middlewich posted 146 for 9 from their 40 overs. The top order put in a consistent shift with Vincent Stott, Elliot Broome, and Josh Cummings all retiring with 22 runs each – a peculiar stat line that left spectators questioning whether it was by accident or design. Thomas Webb provided late-order resistance with 16 not out, while Ted Prime chipped in with a valuable 2* at the death.

Oxton’s bowlers shared the spoils, with Jamie Price (3-22) and Amay Diwan (2-26) leading the charge and restricting Middlewich to a modest total. A generous helping of 20 extras boosted the visitors’ score and hinted at some untidy bowling.

Defending 146, Middlewich got off to a dream start. Sam Farrell struck twice early, and Ted Prime followed up with two of his own. Gabriel McHugh was miserly with 1-10 from his 6 overs, while Ryan Skiffington made an impact late on with two wickets to set up a nervy finish.

Despite regular breakthroughs, Oxton’s F Tarar anchored the chase with a crucial 64. Zeeshan Durrani’s unbeaten 21 saw the home side creep over the line in the 36th over, seven wickets down.

A game that could have swung either way ultimately went Oxton’s, but plenty of positives for the 3rd XI, who showed fight with both bat and ball. That first win of the season remains elusive – but feels just around the corner.