Another damp Saturday greeted cricket at Rectory Field, as the first XI hosted Standish in what felt a crucial fixture in the battle for promotion.

With favourable conditions for bowling, the visiting skipper didn’t hesitate to invite the home side to bat first - and immediately put pressure on a line up missing five front line players.

Knowing the potential fragility of their batting, opening partnership Ben ‘Money’ Munslow (38) and ‘Notorious’ Danny Unsworth (19) implemented a watchful approach to a probing Standish bowling attack.

Mawdesley ticked along steadily at four-an-over before Unsworth gave the visitors their first breakthrough with a frustratingly loose shot. However, this brought bang in form ‘Classy’ Chris Andrews to the crease. Picking up exactly where he left off, Andrews again showed his technical expertise, working the good bowling and plundering anything loose.

A small rain delay at drinks reduced the game to 39 overs a side, and at 141-3 with 7 overs in their innings left, the home side felt in a commanding position. But Mawdesley’s soft underbelly was exposed by some ruthless bowling, meaning that the hosts were only able to add 13 to their total before the close, with only the evergreen Darren Lemarinel (13*) able to provide some lower order resistance.

The rain delay adjustment meant Standish had the task of chasing 164 for the win. The visitors took to their task with aggression, looking to stay ahead of the DLS rate, but the Unsworth brothers battled hard against the counter attack with the new ball.

Joshua ‘Mantis’ Unsworth (3-38) was particularly effective with the swinging ball, returning to form with his searing pace and bounce. In the face of losing regular wickets, however, Standish continued to mount a dangerous chase, with the visitors batting around their number four. But in trademark style, ‘Viva’ Lee Berrie (3-37) and Neil ‘The Wizard’ O’Malley (2-7) ensured that the right and left hand spin combination kept the visitors in check.

In the end, the away side were bowled out 43 runs short of their target, meaning the lads return to winning ways at the vital moment, retaining their position at the top of the league, well done lads!