SALE Silverbacks made it six wins out of six games in the Over-40s competition before heavy rain washed out all the weekend fixtures.

The Silverbacks opened up a six-point lead at the top of the Vivio Cheshire County League North East division on Wednesday with a comfortable 22-run win over nearest challengers Urmston.

Sale were asked to bat first and started strongly, opener Abas Rizvi scoring a quick 14, stand-in skipper Graham Bolton hitting 29 and Mark Rowe retiring on 31. Sheetal Shethi wrestled back control with 3-28 in the middle overs, before a late flourish from Asad Khan and Ian Holland took the total to 120-7.

Two early wickets for Bolton, including an unplayable delivery to Chris Turner, kept the Urmston reply in check as the visitors fell behind the required rate. The introduction of Soans Praveen turned the game decisively in Sale’s favour as he took 4-13, well supported by Tariq Butt with 2-26 as Urmston closed on 98-9.

On Thursday the firsts rounded off their T20 campaign with a convincing win over Mobberley, but failed to progress to the quarter-finals due to an earlier defeat to reigning Premier League champions Hyde.

Brooke Guest and Tyrone Lawrence continued from where they left off at Grappenhall with a dominating batting display, adding 85 for the second wicket inside eight overs. The partnership ended when Guest fell for 67 off just 28 balls, including 11 boundaries.

Lawrence continued to punish the visitors as he finished unbeaten on 88, off a comparably pedestrian 54 balls, including 12 boundaries. Sale closed on 199-2.

Mobberley were never in the running as wickets fell at regular intervals, eventually being bowled out for 102 in the 19th over. Emerging junior Mal Clarke picked up 4-16 on his first XI bowling debut.

The four teams were frustrated by Saturday's rain that saw their games cancelled without a ball being bowled.

On Saturday the first XI travel to Marple, while the second XI host Nantwich. On Sunday the third team welcome Toft and the fourths travel to Heaton Mersey.