ZAIN Ali’s resistance at the crease helped Knutsford to secure a draw at Bowdon Vale in the Cheshire Alliance’s second tier on Saturday.

Set a target of 185 to win, the visitors suffered a late-order collapse to leave captain Ali blocking former teammate David Molloy’s attempts to dismiss him.

Knutsford finished on 164-9 after Adnan Ghazanfar (39), Adam Clayton (38) and veteran John Sheridan (30) made contributions at the start of the innings.

Earlier, Riswan Hasnain (4-31) and Ali (3-37) had been the most successful bowlers as Bowdon posted 184.

Holmes Chapel won for a second successive week in Division One, this time by 34 runs at Pott Shrigley.

They were dismissed for 151 after batting first, but three-wicket hauls for Krishnan Bhardwa, and Neil Almond helped the visitors bowl out their hosts for 117.

Australian Charles Nield hammered 149 in Mobberley’s tally of 226-9 in their Cheshire County League Division Two encounter with Brooklands.

It proved 95 runs too many, with Abdul Aqeel (3-57) and Muhammad Alam (3-3) taking three wickets each to send back their opponents for 131.

In the Cheshire League’s second tier, Ashley lost by 43 runs at home to Chester County Officers.

Jake Cairns (5-45) and Subtain Baig (4-40) combined to bowl out the visitors for 135, but Tommy Smith (35) was one of only three batsmen to reach double figures as the men from Railway Field succumbed for 92.

Opener Khurram Malik (61) scored a half-century for Chelford, but they lost by three wickets at home to Kingsley who successfully chased 135 to win.

Over Peover’s batsmen starred in a winning draw at Cholmondeley in Division Three, with Jon Bodimeade (52) and skipper Tom Stubbs (103) sharing in a partnership worth 148 runs for the second wicket as they declared at 246-3.

Jake Le Maitre (56no) scored a half-century too, but Chum held on for a draw at 170-7.