BEN Hicks claimed a five-wicket haul but his efforts were in vain as Hale Barns suffered a disappointing 52-run defeat to relegation-threatened Middlewich.

Despite Chris Colley making 37, Barns were unable to get close to the required target as the hosts claimed only their second victory of the season.

Hicks and Sam Smith (1-27) gave Hale a perfect start as Middlewich struggled to 10-2.

James Prime survived the early onslaught, but Hicks continued to surge through the middle order, plundering three more wickets, while Joe Cooper added another dismissal to restrict the home side to 61-6 from 17 overs.

Hicks (5-57) then ensured he’d end the innings with the match ball when Prime was finally out for 39 to put Middlewich on the ropes at 90-7.

But Luke Houghton (52) and Phil Parry (26) produced a tremendous rearguard effort, their half-century partnership steering them to a respectable total.

Although Cooper (3-39) eventually removed both there was more frustration for the Hale Barns attack as Andrew Davies and Denton Brock frustrated the bowlers until Davies’ resolve was broken by Hashir Dafedar’s first delivery.

Chasing 175 to win, Kieran Boyle (3-31) was in fine form to get rid of three top-order batsmen, while Brock took two wickets of his own, including Cooper for 22 to put Barns in deep trouble.

Middlewich maintained the momentum when Stephen Parry claimed his first victim as the score slipped to 90-6 off 25 overs, but Colley remained at the crease to offer slim hope of a successful run chase.

With the support of captain Chris Dodson, Hale were still confident a win was a possibility, but Stephen Parry (4-26) soon distinguished those aspirations, dismissing Colley (37), Dodson (15) and Hicks (12).

And the final wicket quickly followed as the visitors ended on 122 all out to drastically damage any remaining ambitions of making a late push for promotion from Cheshire Cricket League Division One.