The sun continued to shine as Week 4 of the 2025 season took place, with just the three men’s sides being the only senior sides in action over the weekend.

Over Peover 1st XI (171 all out) vs Oakmere Men’s 1st XI (207 all out) – Oakmere won by 36 runs

The Men’s 1st XI travelled to Over Peover on Saturday with Craig Phelan making it 4 toss wins out of 4 and electing to bat first.

In sunny, warm conditions Oakmere got off to a steady start, making their way through the first 10 overs with the loss of just 1 wicket. As spin was introduced to the attack the scoring rate was slowed and wickets began to fall, including the run out of Josh Westwood (22), leaving the team 60/4 after 20 overs. Craig Phelan (33) built a quick partnership with Harry Poole, with the pair adding 93 in the next 14 overs before Phelan’s dismissal. A fine knock from Poole (77 from 79 deliveries) saw some delightful strokes before he eventually fell with the score at 192/8. Oakmere were able to push the score to 207 before the final two wickets fell.

In the response, Over Peover’s openers came out with attacking intent but the positive start was halted by two wickets in Matt Holland’s first spell (2/32). At 57/2 off 11 overs the game was in the balance, but regular wickets started to fall, tipping the balance in Oakmere’s favour with Josh Westwood (2/19) and Ethan Mackin (2/50) taking 4 wickets in the next 10 overs. At 92/6 a partnership began to grow with some chances being missed by the Oakmere fielders. The return of Benedict Verma to the attack (1/33) got the breakthrough. At 130/7 Matt Worsdale came on to bowl and mopped up the tail with 3/29 as the home side tried to up the scoring rate to reach their target. Over Peover finished on 171, giving Oakmere a 36 run victory, their second of the season and hopefully providing the Men’s 1st XI with momentum going into their first cup match of the season away at Runcorn on Thursday evening.

Oakmere Men’s 2nd XI (152/6) vs Cheadle Hulme 2nd XI (150 all out) – Oakmere won by 4 wickets

The Men’s 2nd XI hosted Cheadle Hulme on Saturday, winning the toss and electing to bowl first. Matt Howard and Mat Giles opened the bowling for the home side and kept things tight early on. It was the latter that got the breakthrough with the score on 19, courtesy of a good swirling catch from Hamish Shovelton. Matt Howard continued to work hard at the other end and was eventually rewarded by finding a thin edge through to keeper Dan Faulkner twice in two overs. Corey Lewis (1/40) replaced Giles and picked up an early wicket in his first spell to make it 56/4. Lewis was replaced by young debutant Percy Bratherton who made an instant impact, claiming an LBW with his first second team delivery. This was soon followed up with a further wicket as Percy bowled an excellent debut spell of 2/13 from 5 overs. After Hamish Shovelton had kept things tight with 3 maidens in a 7 over spell of 0/17, Sean McDonnell was introduced to the attack and reaped the rewards with 2/19 as the Cheadle Hulme batters went on the attack and twice found Jack Mackin on the deep mid wicket boundary who took two brilliant catches. The two Matthews were brought back into the attack to finish things off and duly did with Giles finishing with 2/23 from 7 overs and Howard 3/32 from 10 overs.

Despite losing Dan Faulkner (2) and Mat Giles (11) early on, Jack Mackin and Paul Guilford settled the chase for Oakmere with a 49 run partnership before Guilford was trapped LBW for 25 to make it 75/3. Mackin soon followed for 23 and at 87/5, the visitors’ tails were up. James Lewis and Mike Dodd (12) blunted Cheadle Hulme’s momentum, putting on 33 runs together before Dodd had a lapse of concentration and was bowled. Matt Howard joined James Lewis (40*) and quickly calmed any nerves, batting steadily and punishing any wayward deliveries to see Oakmere home with 14 overs to spare, Howard (12*) sealing the victory with an excellent reverse sweep to the boundary.

Winnington Park 3rd XI (78/3) vs Oakmere Men’s 3rd XI (76 all out) – Winnington Park won by 7 wickets

The Men’s 3rd XI made the short trip to Hartford to take on Winnington Park and chose to bat first after winning the toss. A strong bowling effort from the home side saw Oakmere stutter to 77 all out with only youngsters Brandon Jones (17) and Jimmy Sidebottom (18) reaching double figures.

Three early wickets from Henri Shovelton (3/26) reduced Winnington Park to 27/3 in the chase to give Oakmere hope, but unfortunately these were the only wickets to fall as the hosts chased down the target in just 11.1 overs.