KNUTSFORD kept alive their hopes of being promoted to the Cheshire Alliance top flight following an emphatic victory at home to Trafford MV on Saturday.

They climb above their guests in the Division Two table as a result of a 117-run success at Mereheath Lane, avenging a defeat against the same opponents in last month’s return fixture.

Darren Longden (36) led the way at the top of the order, but it was not until the arrival at the crease of Muhsin Ali (58) that the hosts recovered after slipping to 61-6.

An unbeaten partnership for the ninth wicket between captain Zain Ali (25no) and Adeel Bhatti (15no) took them to 200-8.

Knutsford then knocked over their guests for 83 in reply, a combined effort from Muby Khan (5-56) and Zeeshan Shah (4-16) securing maximum points.

The club’s seconds lost a close encounter by two wickets at their Holmes Chapel counterparts.

They ran up 201-7 after winning the toss, bolstered by a partnership worth 68 runs for the fourth wicket between Irfan Hussain (46) and Amir Shahzad (65).

Shahzad and Abin Abraham (21no) then added 47 more together for the sixth.

Holmes Chapel made it to their target with eight balls to spare at 202-8, with a stand of 90 for the third wicket between Martin Radford (62) and Ollie Dale (52) providing a platform on which their teammates built a winning reply.

Captain Rob Vaughan (3-70) and Mark Dingle (3-50) both took three wickets for the visitors, who sit second-bottom in the East Division table.