Crewe bring an end to rivals' perfect run

CREWE kept up their 100 per cent start to the NSSCL Division Two season with victory over Sandyford - which ended their rivals' own perfect start.

- Chris Travers

The two sides met at the weekend with both boasting five straight wins to kick off the campaign.

But it was the Cheshire visitors who were the ones to preserve their unblemished sequence with an 11-run success.

Crewe managed to amass 132-8 from their 40 overs in the formative stages of the eagerly-anticipated meeting.

Rory Kalnins top-scored with 35, with Callum Bacon (25) and Lewis Bacon (22) also chipping in to good effect.

Gareth Kinsey and Maz Akhtar took a couple of wickets apiece for Sandyford.

The home side saw Kalhara Senarathne (36) lead their run chase, while Rory Smith made 17.

However, Crewe turned in a fine bowling performance as three wickets apiece for Faisal Mahmood (3-12) and Ben Jarvis (3-24), plus two scalps for Kalnins, saw Sandyford bowled out for 121.

Little Stoke also have a six out of six victory record after seeing off the challenge of Blythe.

Arris Ziad set them on the way to another success as he helped himself to 6-24 to skittle Blythe for 118 early in the piece.