DAVE Saddington claimed six wickets during a terrific spell of bowling as Hale Barns' first XI sealed a three-wicket victory at Lymm Oughtrington Park in Cheshire Cricket League Division One.

Opening batsman Chris Colley then fell two runs short of a half century with the bat to help the visitors successfully chase down a target of 204 to win.

The hosts began on top as they raced to 60-0 until youngster Ollie Latter (1-23) made the breakthrough by removing Matthew Carr for 20.

Opener Jonathan Fletcher continued to look assured at the crease and was supported by Shahzad Butt (15), but the momentum shifted dramatically after Fletcher had reached his half century.

Saddington (6-56) ripped through the Lymm batting line-up, including the dangerous Fletcher (52), to reduce the home side from 86-1 to 96-7.

But the lower order did not go down with a whimper as Travis Scholes and Matthew Bradshaw produced an impressive fightback.

The pair added exactly 100 for the eighth-wicket partnership to lift Lymm out of trouble and towards a competitive total.

Hashir Dafedar (2-9) finally dismissed Scholes (37), while Joe Cooper (1-3) claimed a victim of his own, but Bradshaw remained at the end with an excellent unbeaten 68.

Barns made a strong response thanks to openers Colley and Cooper as they comfortably took the score on to 79-0.

But in typical fashion for the day, both were back in the pavilion in quick succession when they succumbed to the bowling of Andy Hossack (2-37).

Joe Fretwell-Walsh and Dafedar restored the innings calmly and despite the former falling for 25, Hale appeared to be well placed to achieve the required target.

However, yet again the game ebbed and flowed as Bradshaw (3-61) produced three dismissals, including the important wicket of Dafedar (40), meaning the away team still had considerable work to do at 186-7.

But Hicks (18 not out) and Latter (8no) held their nerve to lift Barns up to fourth in the table, just 10 points adrift of top spot.