LINDOW first XI have taken an early lead at the summit of the shortened Cheshire County Cricket League season.

In their second game since the return of the sport from its coronavirus hibernation, Lindow hammered Stockport on Saturday.

Ryan O’Brien was influential, taking three wickets for nine runs from his eight overs while also scoring 16 with the bat.

That contributed to Stockport being bowled out for 63 runs and Lindow reaching 66-3 in roughly half as many overs.

Alex Matthews also claimed three wickets, while wicket-keeper Patrick Christys (17no) and Matt Barnes (18no) were their highest scorers.

They will visit Stockport Georgians on Saturday before hosting top-flight club Toft in the Cheshire Cup on Sunday.

At the weekend Toft were left to rue a middle-order collapse in defeat to Alderley Edge.

Chasing 217, the hosts appeared well set at 114-3 but ended up falling to a 36-run defeat.

Tom Forster and James Scott took early scalps for Toft but Edge rebuilt thanks to Sam Perry and Ed Fluck’s partnership of 123 for the third wicket.

However, after the spin bowling of Joe Stanley and James Lomas built pressure, James Hodgson came on to remove both batsmen – Perry for 78 and Fluck for 70.

They were the only Edge batsmen to reach double figures in a final total of 216-7 as Hodgson finished with figures of 5-51, but Toft gave away 36 extras.

Alderley had the perfect start with the ball as Chris Sanders clean bowled Toft opener Ewan Williams, but Daniel Lord and Rob Semhi rebuilt for the hosts by putting on a second-wicket partnership of 76.

Both were dismissed in quick succession – Lord for 45 and Semhi for 42 – and Alderley ran through the middle order to close in on victory.

Charlie Reid ended up with four wickets for the visitors and despite a quickfire 26 from Scott, Toft were eventually bowled out for 180.

Alderley Edge under 19s defeated their Toft counterparts, who had scored 106-3, with five balls left.