SALE extended their lead at the top of Division One of the Vivio Cheshire County Cricket League following a comfortable seven-wicket win at home to Christleton.

With the chasing teams all losing, Sale now have a 20-point advantage over second-placed Timperley and are 51 points ahead of Oxton in third place.

They chose to bowl first and soon had the visitors in trouble as Rick Halkon bowled Rob Marks in his first over.

Fellow opener Tufail Talha hit a run-a-ball 30 before Halkon had him trapped lbw.

Christleton are having a tough season, but do have the division’s leading run scorer in Mitch Renwick.

When Ali Barrowman had him caught for 15 by Dan Halkon the visitors were reduced to 50-3 and Sale were firmly in control.

Rick Halkon (5-28) and Tyrone Lawrence (4-50) then ran through the rest of the line up in short order as Christleton subsided to 102 all out in the 37th over.

In reply, Sale showed a few nerves as they lost three early wickets before a stand of 81 between Ian Dixon and Dan Halkon saw them to their target in the 23rd over.

Dixon hit eight fours in his 67-ball 61 and Halkon hit seven fours in his 38-ball 36 as Sale coasted home in good time before the forecast early evening rain could intervene.

Sale meet Oxton, who knocked Oulton Park off third place on Saturday.

With Timperley and Didsbury also losing it proved a great round of results for Sale.

The second team made it back-to-back wins at Congleton, with a convincing 72-run win.

Skipper Rob Merga led the way with a fine 71 in Sale’s total of 193-9, with great support from promising juniors Dan Osborne (41) and Joe Cannon (39).

Sale then bowled the home side out in the 35th over.

Gareth Watterson (3-25) dismissed the middle order and Andy Millward (4-15) cleaned up the tail as the home side were all out for 121.

The third XI made it a full house of weekend wins with a seven-wicket victory over Hale Barns on Sunday. Rob Moore took 5-37 in the visitors' 136 all out.

In reply, James Hall (48) and Tom Gill (35) hit an unbeaten partnership of 89 for the fourth wicket as Sale coasted home with 12 overs to spare.

Sale Silverbacks, the club's over-40s side, suffered their first defeat of the season, by nine wickets, to Cheadle.

Their advantage at the top of the North East Division was cut to two points.