After two weeks of rain-affected frustration, the sun came out at last and Sale were soon back into top gear as they won all three games over the weekend.

Vital wins for the second and third teams kept them in contention for honours with two weeks of the season to go.

Sale’s firsts wrapped up a comfortable six-wicket win at Congleton and look destined to finish in mid-table.

Dan Newton took 5-18 as Congleton were all out for 137.

Then despite losing three batsmen to ducks Sale never looked in serious trouble as opener Viraj Sorathia hit an unbeaten 58 and Newton added 54 to his five wickets earlier in the day to wrap up victory.

Sale second XI remain in second place in Division One of the Cheshire County League after a win against Upton in pursuit of promotion to the Premier Division.

Sale bowled their visitors out for 170 at Dane Road after they made a promising start, Ben Watkin taking 3-48.

In-form Rob Grant then hit an unbeaten 80 to get Sale to their target with an over to spare.

Sale third XI moved back to the top of the Sunday Premier Division with a good 55-run win at Toft, although they will need second-placed Didsbury to drop points to be crowned Sunday champions as they have a game in hand.

Ashton on Mersey picked up a big win in their promotion bid in Cheshire County League Division Two, beating Hale Barns by 111 runs.

Skipper James Marshall made 76 in his side’s total of 188 all out at The Beets, Jake Walker and Zohaib Khan also playing their shots to help Ashton recover after losing three early wickets.

In reply Hale Barns struggled from the start as Walker and Zohaib proved as effective with the ball as they had with the bat.

Wickets tumbled at regular intervals and it was spinner Zaheer Khan who finished with 4-20 as the innings subsided to 77 all out.

Ashton are fourth with two games to go, the first of those at Barrow.

Ashton’s seconds kept up their own promotion push with a demolition of their Hale Barns counterparts.

The thirds fell to defeat against Stockport Trinity.