GLORIOUS weather, a full house at Upcast Lane and a cup win over neighbours ranked two divisions above them.

Sunday will live long in the memory at Lindow Cricket Club and it perhaps took a defeat to light the touch paper.

Having lost disappointingly to Stockport Georgians in the league on Saturday and knowing they were to welcome neighbours Toft in the Cheshire Cup the following day, Lindow’s players hit the nets on Saturday night to get themselves tuned up.

It worked a treat as the hosts made light of their visitors’ Cheshire County Cricket League Premier Division status with a four-wicket victory to reach the quarter finals.

After Ryan O’Brien and Max Law took early wickets to leave Toft 20-2, Lindow skipper Alex Matthews’ decision to bowl first at the toss was looking a good one.

However, Rob Sehmi and Tom Forster steadied the ship with a partnership of 80 – Sehmi eventually fell lbw to Mark Farrell for 41 but Forster’s class shone through.

Despite a tight fielding performance from Lindow, Forster compiled a superb unbeaten century and with late support from Thomas Roe’s quick blast of 38 not out from 24 balls, Toft posted 237-5 from their 40 overs.

It was a tough-looking chase for Lindow, but Rob Herriot’s quickfire 27 got them off to a fast start until he like opening partner O'Brien before him fell to Adam Kenyon.

An 89-run partnership between Pat Christys and Robin Broom to thank for setting the foundations, with Broom’s 65 from 46 deliveries setting the tone for Law and Matthews to pick up the baton and lead the charge to victory.

The home crowd were growing in belief as the boundaries flowed for Law, who smashed a superb 75 from 50 balls but fell agonisingly short of finishing the run chase off.

He was clean bowled by Will Dunkerley with Lindow just seven runs shy of their target so it was left to Matthews, who finished unbeaten on 38, to wrap up a memorable win with three overs to spare.

Lindow will travel to another top-flight outfit in the shape of Widnes in the last-eight but first, they return to Division Two East action on Saturday, with Haslington the visitors to Upcast Lane.

Toft are left to lick their wounds and recover before hosting Didsbury in the Premier Division on Saturday.