TOFT maintained their place in the Cheshire County League Premier Division’s top three following a dramatic win at home to Grappenhall. 

After consecutive defeats, the Booth’s Park outfit bounced back in a reduced-overs game.

Grappers chose to bat, but Toft restricted them to 170-7 thanks to Jimmy Lomas’ 4-37 and two wickets for Jack Goode.

The Knutsford outfit started confidently in reply, but a collapse started when both openers lost their wickets and they were quickly followed by the middle order as Toft sunk to 58-8. 

The previous week saw Goode score 62 batting at number 11, earning a promotion up the order. 

He continued where he left off, attacking the bowling while Tom Atkinson resisted for as long as he could at the other end.

Atkinson (17) fell with the score on 141-9 after the duo had added 83 runs for the ninth wicket. 
Toft still needed 30 more when tail-ender Tufail Ahmed joined Goode.

He had scored only 11 runs all season, but adopted a version of French cricket to block out seamer Josh McLelland while Goode picked off the required runs. 

With three overs left and only three runs short, Ahmed abandoned his defensive tactics to pull a ball over the infield that took the hosts to their target. Match-winner Goode finished on 80 not out.

Toft visit Bowdon this Saturday.

Toft thirds’ survival hopes received a boost when they beat Marple following a first-wicket partnership worth 186 runs between Andrew Jackson (130no) and Ewan Williams (75).