News & results w/e July 3

Sophie Ecclestone, who made her senior county debut for Cheshire in 2014, before switching to Lancashire, made her full England debut in Sunday’s T20 international against Pakistan. The 17 year old left arm spinner took 1-21 in four overs, bowling as many as 12 dot balls, with Pakistan opener Sidra Ameen becoming her first international victim. There are two more matches in the series – on Tuesday at 1400 and Thursday at 1830. All matches are live on Sky Sports 2 and BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra. Video highlights are also available via the BBC Sport website. Sophie made the league’s highest score this season of 133 not out when she played for Chester against Appleton.

CHESHIRE WOMEN’S LEAGUE

Division One / Two Cross Divisional Matches – July 3:

Didsbury 83 (32.3; Maria Holmes 23, Meghana Bhide 20, A Harrison 4-13, Mollie Price 2-3) (5pts)
Oxton 85-5 (23.2; Jess Pickavance 29, Megan Cureton 25, Bhide 3-11) (25pts)

• Surely Oxton’s best ever result as the second placed team in the league went down to defeat here. Division two could still be a three horse race.

Chester Boughton Hall 108-8 (40; Beth Nicholson 37*, Maddie Goodman 3-21, Hannah Bratt 2-26) (25pts)
Wistaston Village 83 (36.5; Hannah Bratt 29, Annette Axon 4 -10, Charlotte Thompson 4-15) (7pts)

• Without the protection of a large total, Chester’s bowling attack came up trumps to maintain their 100% record. Appleton, who Chester play next, are perhaps the only team who can now realistically stop the title going to Boughton Hall.

Oakmere 246-1 (40; Phoebe Cottam 100*, Shami Ahmed 71*, Helen Smith 36) (25pts)
Hawarden Park 41 (27; Jenny Broughall 16, Cottam 3-4, Sarah Worsdale 3-10) (1pt)

• Oakmere recorded their first league win since the opening day as they recorded the highest team score to date this season. Phoebe Cottam batted through the innings for her maiden senior century, and was still able to take three cheap wickets in the Hawarden reply. Cottam and Shami Ahmed added an unbroken 168 for the second wicket.

Astley Bridge have resigned as members of the Cheshire Women’s League. The biggest change caused by the removal of Astley Bridge’s results from the official records is that Wistaston Village now lead division two, although Stockport Trinity could regain top spot by winning their games in hand.

T20 DIVISIONAL COMPETITION
Western Division – June 27:

Hawarden Park 64-6 (20: Laura Wilson 16, Emily MacKenzie 3-17, Abbie Adams 2-9)
Wistaston Swans 65-7 (11.2; Hannah Bratt 25ret, Rachel Warrenger 3-12, Emma Birks 3-18)

• 2014 and 2015 T20 champions Wistaston finally recorded their first win in this competition, and not without Hawarden giving then a fright. The win though comes too late for the Crewe-based side’s hopes of retaining their title

KNOCKOUT CUPS

Development Knockout Cup Semi Final – June 23:

Lymm Lightning 19 (9; Alex Wilson 3-1)
Bredbury Saints 20-0 (5)

• For the first time the League will stage three finals on the same day, and Bredbury became the first team to book their place.