SALE first XI lost their penultimate game at Division One champions Oulton Park by nine wickets in the Cheshire County Cricket League on Saturday.

The visitors were asked to bat first after a delay of 70 minutes and got off to the worst possible start as Ryan Burgess was caught from the very first ball.

Jeremy McFarlane then added 22 with Sam Battersby and a further 22 with Brooke Guest before he was dismissed for 24.

Fresh from winning the Second XI County Championship with Lancashire in midweek, Guest went on to dominate the innings, adding 56 for the fourth wicket with Mat Spells (10) and 60 for the seventh wicket with Lionel Thompson (22).

Guest brought up a classy century (103 not out) in the final over from 114 balls, including 12 fours and a six as Sale closed on 177-9 off the revised 40 overs.

With other games around the county being cancelled Oulton Park had been confirmed as champions before the start of play, and were presented with the trophy by league chairman David Humpage during the tea interval.

Full of confidence, the home side made short work of the reply on a drying wicket.

Martin East and Danny Leech put on 124 for the first wicket before 13-year-old spinner Isaac Brooks dismissed East for 70.

Leech (58no) and Matt Jamieson (30no) then coasted home inside 28 overs.

Sale's second XI match at home to Heaton Mersey was cancelled without a ball being bowled due to heavy morning rain leaving the top of Division Two unchanged.

With one match to go Sale remain firm championship favourites, needing just five points from their final game at bottom-placed Weaverham to claim the title.

The first XI round off their season by hosting relegated Weaverham.

Sale fourth XI could claim an unprecedented third divisional title for the club in the same season as they go into their final match at Heaton Mersey on Sunday with an eight-point advantage over second-placed Lindow.