SALE Cricket Club's youngsters retained the Salford Youth Cricket Association Under-16 Cup with a comfortable eight-wicket win against Winton.

Sale fielded first as Winton appeared to build the foundations for a strong total by reaching 57-2 at the halfway mark, with opener Luke Vasey making 35 before being well caught by Sam Battersby.

Poised to accelerate at 80-2 at the end of the 14th over, Winton were just about to fall under Joe Cannon’s spell as a couple of canny bowling changes and excellent work by Nathan D’Cunha (4-0-16-1), Zikria Nadeem (4-1-14-2) and the skipper (4-1-14-2), squeezed the hosts.

Just 15 runs were scored from the last six overs as Winton closed on 95-6.

Sale’s openers, Tom Gill and Dan Newton, kept ahead of the asking rate.

Newton plundered 10 from the first over bowled by Winton’s danger man and Lancashire junior spin bowler, Prakash Parekh.

The opening partnership was broken on 45 in the eighth over.

Gill powered on, though, hitting seven fours and one six, retiring on 50 from 37 balls.

Adam Holland fell shortly afterwards, having looked untroubled making 12.

With the light fading, two new batsmen, Cannon and Battersby were equal to the task, calmly leading Sale to their target with more than two overs to spare as they finished on 98-2.

The win was testament to the investment Sale have made in junior cricket and improving their facilities in recent years.  The club has over 100 boys and girls competing in 10 teams from under-nines to u18s.