Slip up at Alderley ends unbeaten run

Chester's unbeaten 2021 run finally came to an end as they went down by six wickets at Alderley Edge.

And with Nantwich and Didsbury both picking up maximum points, Chester slipped from the top of the ECB Premiership league to third place.

An important toss in damp conditions saw the hosts put Chester in to bat and they struggled from the off. Both openers - Rick Moore and Alex Money - went without scoring but a mini-recovery saw Chester move from a perilous 0-2 to 45-3 when Warren Goodwin departed.

A half hour delay for rain at 50-6 worked in Chester's favour as the bowlers struggled with the wet ball and Atif Qureshi (53) made his top score for the Club to date as he and Harry Killoran (22) added 117 for the seventh wicket. A closing total of 177 with Richard Wilkinson and Charlie Reid both taking three wickets represented a decent fightback and the visitors took the field in buoyant mood.

The immediacy of the Alderley reply however moved the game on dramatically as Alan Day (14) and Sam Perry got things moving straightaway. Perry's 85 masterminded the innings with Ed Fluck notching 32 and George Bell 24*. The pick of the Chester bowlers was Harry Killoran with 2-29.

There was no doubt that early batting conditions were a huge contrast to the pleasant evening sun but Chester nonetheless misfired and suffered their first defeat of the season.