A DEPLETED Sale lost their double-header against Macclesfield on Saturday in Division One of the Cheshire County League.

They travelled to Macclesfield without three of their top five batsmen and soon found themselves in trouble, slumping to 66-6 with youngsters Joe Cannon (17) and Dan Newton (21) both making starts.

Ali Barrowman rallied the score with 26 as the tail got the total up to 147 as Sale were bowled out in the 44th over.

The home side had little trouble after tea, coasting home by nine wickets, Isaac Brooks taking the only wicket to fall.

Sale's second XI did not fare much better in the reverse fixture at Dane Road as they lost by seven wickets.

Viraj Sorathia hit 49 at the top of the order and Soans Praveen an unbeaten 37 as Sale were bowled out for 157.

In reply, the visitors knocked off the runs inside 38 overs for the loss of three wickets.

On Sunday, a youthful-looking third XI lost a high-scoring game at Didsbury by the smallest of margins.

A Sale side containing eight junior players were asked to bat first and posted a challenging 234-8 off their 45 overs. Sorathia fell just two runs short of a century with 98, and fellow opener James Dodds hit 42.

Didsbury made the target with just one ball and one wicket to spare, Dodds taking 4-47 and Ghani Khan 3-60.

After all the games cancelled in recent weeks both the fourth XI and the over-40s both had blank dates in the fixture list this week.

This Saturday the first and second XI play a double-header against Urmston, while on Sunday the third XI host Alderley Edge and the fourths visit Elworth.