SALE preserved their Cheshire County League Division One status on Saturday with a dramatic win at Bollington.

In a low-scoring game, they secured the crucial win by just four runs.

Sale were asked to bat first and soon found themselves in trouble as both openers were dismissed for only three runs.

Tyrone Lawrence hit 21 at number three but Sale soon found themselves on the brink at 35-5.

Chris Canning did his best to rebuild the innings as he top scored with 25, taking the score to 74-8.  Ali Barrowman (14) and Isaac Brooks (13) added some useful runs but Sale were finally bowled out for 104 in the 48th over.

Bollington started positively with both openers making double figures to take the score to 36.

Ali Barrowman then got Sale back into the game as he took the first five wickets to fall as the home side slumped to 55-5.

Richard Halkon and Isaac Brooks then took a wicket each before James Longhorn dug in to get Bollington within nine runs of victory with three wickets remaining.

There was one final twist to come, though, as Lawrence returned for a second spell, trapping Longhorn for 28 and taking two further wickets to bowl Bollington out for 100 and secure the win that kept Sale up.

The second XI could not match the exploits of the firsts, losing by two wickets in an equally-tight game at home to Stockport Georgians.

Sam Battersby (29) and Keith Wellings (28) were the top scorers as Sale posted 130-9 after being inserted on a green wicket.

Skipper Gareth Watterson got Sale off to the perfect start taking two wickets with his first two balls and soon followed it up with a third as the visitors slumped to 33-5.

Rick Barrow then dug in for the visitors, hitting an unbeaten 44 to see them home with two wickets to spare, meaning Sale will need to secure a result in the final game to stay in Division One.

Sale's third XI finished their season at Alderley Edge and securing their Premier Division status with a comfortable six-wicket win.

Ibraheem Shereef was the pick of the bowling with 3-52 as the home side posted 238-8.

Sale reached their target with a ball to spare for the loss of four wickets.

The fourth XI lost by nine wickets at home to Elworth after posting 152-9, Jack Brassell top scoring with 41.

On Saturday Sale end their season with a double-header against Macclesfield, with the fourth XI ending their season at Elworth on Sunday.