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Jason gives Alderley the Edge

30/ 4/2008

Widnes 112, Alderley Edge 116-5 - Edge won by five wickets: EDGE followed their opening day victory against Toft with another success last Saturday, at their bogey ground.

Jason Whittaker’s hat-trick helped Edge cruise past Widnes by five wickets as they went to second place in the first ECB Cheshire Premier League table of the season.

Widnes, with a very young side this season, won the toss and surprisingly decided to bat first on a green looking wicket.

Edge made it difficult for the home side with accurate swing bowling from pacemen Jason Whittaker and Sohail Rauf.

Rauf took two wickets and Whittaker one in their opening spells and Widnes were forced to crawl along at a snail’s pace.

Two wickets for Alan Day, plus one each for Adam Wildig and Mark Walker left the home side reeling at 112-7 at the start of the 57th over.

Whittaker, who by then had been re-introduced to the attack, then took a hat-trick with the first three balls of the over, leaving Widnes 112 all out and without a single batting bonus point to show for their efforts.

When Edge batted, the going was steady rather than spectacular, but Alderley always looked strong favourites to continue their winning start to the season.

A useful 36 from opener Alan Day, followed by some spectacular straight hitting from Jon Usher, who made 33 not out, confirmed a straight-forward victory for Edge and the maximum 25 points.

Alderley can reflect on a solid start to the season but with more difficult matches just around the corner.

Next Saturday Edge host table-topping Chester Boughton Hall at Moss Lane.