SALE climbed to third place in Division One of the Vivio Cheshire County League after a comprehensive eight-wicket win against Warrington.

Sale invited the visitors to bat first and soon had Mike Rudd well caught by a diving Brooke Guest for a duck in the fifth over.

They had only added 13 runs more runs in the next 10 overs when Mal Agar fell to a juggling catch at slip by Chris Canning for seven, both wickets falling to Tyrone Lawrence.

More smart fielding, this time from Luke McCoy, removed Will Fleetwood for one off Rick Halkon, who followed up four balls later when he trapped Adam Green LBW for 13 to leave Warrington teetering on 23-4.

Overseas player Huw Stone struck partnerships of 24 with both Rich Heaney and James Rudd to take the score to 71-6 and 23 further runs were added with James Lewis before Stone clipped Ben Watkin to a running Canning at mid-wicket for 40.

The final three wickets then fell quickly as Warrington closed on 121 all out in the 46th over, Halkon finishing as leading bowler with 3-35.

Sale openers Guest and Mat Spells were in no mood to hang around, motoring the reply on at a run a ball in the early stages, Guest in particular continuing his fine form.

Spells was caught on the edge for the circle for 17 with the score on 70 and Guest added 19 runs with Lawrence before he fell for 54.

With victory in sight Lawrence (30) and McCoy (18) went on the offensive, and Sale reached 125-2 inside 25 overs to clock up a fourth consecutive win to climb above Oulton Park and set up this weekend’s big clash against leaders Didsbury.

Sale's second XI made it a double when they visited Warrington, as they won by five wickets. Gareth Watterson and Joe Cannon took three wickets each as the home team were bowled out for 155 in the 42nd over.

In reply openers Jamal Benzafar (32) and Narsi Ramaswamy (33) got off to a good start. Siyan Siraj then top scored with 39 in the middle order as Sale comfortably reached their target in the 48th over.

On Sunday the third XI had a great win at second-placed Hyde, although victory had looked unlikely in the early stages as Sale struggled to 40-4 after being asked to bat first.

A barnstorming partnership of 90 from Howard Briggs and Soans Praveen shifted the momentum, Briggs in particular raining sixes in his 48, and Praveen adding 51. Despite this Sale’s total of 171 all out looked inadequate with a very short boundary on one side.

Hyde made a confident start to the reply, seeing off the opening bowlers without alarm. The introduction of spin twins Joe Cannon and Abas Rizvi turned the game in Sale’s favour, firstly drying up the scoring rate and then taking wickets. Only opener Gaskins came to terms with the spin attack, adding 47 before he was well caught by Ian Holland at short cover off Rizvi. Only one other batsmen made double figures as Hyde subsided to 111 all out in the 37th over. Rizvi finished with 5-22 and Cannon 3-29.

The fourth XI held on for a losing draw at home to Timperley.

Tom Riley took 3-44 in the visitors' 195-6, with Sale struggling to 70-8 in reply.

On Wednesday the Silverbacks completed a comfortable 88-run victory at neighbours Brooklands in the Over-40s competition.

The Silverbacks batted first on a tricky surface, reaching 135-9, Paul Battersby top scoring with 30 and Iain Harrop making 28.

In reply the home team never got in the chase. Tariq Butt did the damage with 4-12, well supported by Soans Praveen (3-7) and Abas Rizvi (2-4), as Brooklands were bowled out for 47.

This weekend the first XI host Didsbury on Saturday, while the seconds travel to Bowdon. On Sunday the third team welcome Grappenhall and the fourths go to Disley.