Draw sends Ashley out of top flight (From Knutsford Guardian)

Draw sends Ashley out of top flight

11:33am Thursday 20th September 2012 in Sport

ASHLEY were condemned to relegation from the Meller Braggins Cheshire League top tier on Saturday after a draw at Prestbury.

The visitors totalled 178-9 before declaring, but they picked up only a dozen points as they hosts played to avoid defeat after tea on their way to 136-3 at stumps.

With Northwich picking up maximum points at Hale Barns, and Winnington taking 11 off champions Weaverham, it left the men from the Railway Field in the bottom two with Lindow.

Mobberley climbed to third place in the final table after having the better of a draw at Oakmere, Phil Burrell (32) and Abid Ulzain (27) top-scoring in the visitors’ 176-8.

Sam Catling (51no) and Dan Wood (28) shared in a 49-runs partnership at the start of the home team’s innings, but Younis Khan (2-22) and Muhammad Alam (2-4) applied the brakes to leave the hosts’ at 100-6 by the close.

Mere escaped the drop from Division Two at the end of a dramatic afternoon after thrashing Barnton by 98 runs.

The Knutsford outfit declared at 188-7 after losing the toss, dismissing the men from Broomsedge after tea for 90, taking the last eight wickets for a total of 28 runs.

Division Three champions Chelford passed 400 points for the season after a huge 114-runs success at home to already-relegated Glazebury.

Chris Fenn (106) and Imran Patel (54), plus a contribution late on from Zaheer Khan (36) helped the hosts to amass a season-best 272-7 after batting winning the toss. Glazebury’s last-wicket tandem Chris Ayre (38) and Shaun Conroy (22) delayed the inevitable before Matt Shallcross (4-34) ended a partnership that took the visitors to 158.

Over Peover finish third in the same section following an eight-wickets win at home to Stretton, a result that condemned their guests to the drop.

The visitors were dismissed for 97 in 43 overs, skipper Iain Hill (34) hitting seven fours in his innings while Neil Mills (6-23) and Mark Nightingale (2-38) shared the wickets.

Peover’s batsmen reached their target quickly, Jon Bodimeade (22), Nick Goldstraw (35no) and Mike Bodimeade (30) – the latter two adding 65 runs for the second wicket – each laying a part.

Holmes Chapel place third in the Cheshire Alliance second tier after closing the season with a comfortable 74-runs success at home to Offerton on Saturday.

Mike Brandon (33) top-scored as the hosts totalled 165 before Johnny Price (6-35) took control after the turnaround to skittle the away team for 91.

Knutsford claim fourth position after a tie at Hartford, Andy McKeith (42) accounting for almost half of the visitors’ total as they succumbed for just 100.

Skipper Adam Clayton (6-16) made safe a share of the spoils as the hosts finished on the same score.