Cheshire 173-9, Wales 170-8. Cheshire won by three runs.

Content relevant to the following areas: All areas of the historic county of Cheshire (includes Tameside, Stockport, Sale, Altrincham, Warrington, Halton, Wirral); Flintshire

Another impossibly tight finish, but Cheshire prevailed over bottom county Wales again and now have some breathing space over Wales at the bottom of the table.

Several inexperienced bowlers such as Jemma Bentley, Natalie Lyons and Kate Coppack bowled superbly in the closing overs, backed up by some excellent outfielding. Dawn Prestidge was again outstanding with the ball, while not taking the big wicket haul of the week before her economical contribution was vital.

For a long time it seemed that Lauren Parfitt would lead Wales to victory, as she shared in vital stands with Rebecca Struthers and Marsha Davies. But Parfitt fell to Coppack for 44 and the tail enders failed to complete the task.

Cheshire’s innings saw several players get a start, but again there was no big innings. A large total looked on the cards when Prestidge and Hayley Agnew raced to 50-0, but both fell in quick succession – Prestidge for 26 and Agnew for 24.

Hannah Gradwell made the top score of 31 and Bentley and Raffaella Rodighiero made useful contributions in the final overs.

Cheshire XI:

Lauren Griffiths (Reading, captain), Dawn Prestidge (Hawarden Park/Chester Boughton Hall), Kate Coppack, Ellie Barnett (both Chester Boughton Hall), Hayley Agnew, Jemma Bentley (both Oakmere), Sophie Connor (Moorfield/Oakmere), Raffaella Rodighiero (Runcorn/Appleton), Hannah Gradwell, Ellie Barker (both Trinity), Natalie Lyons (Appleton). 12th Nathalie Long (Appleton),

Scorecard: http://cheshirecb.play-cricket.com/scoreboard/scorecard.asp?id=11218139

Cheshire travel to Kibworth CC in Leicestershire on Tuesday and Wednesday to contest North & Midlands Division Two of the County Twenty20 Championship.

The squad includes several new faces:

Dawn Prestidge (Hawarden Park/Chester Boughton Hall, captain), Kate Coppack (Chester Boughton Hall), Hayley Agnew (Oakmere), Sophie Connor (Moorfield/Oakmere), Natalie Lyons, Nathalie Long, Anni Rashid (all Appleton), Ellie Barker, Hannah Gradwell, Sarah McCann. Katie Haszeldine (all Trinity), Hannah Marsden (Romiley & Dinting). Kate Skelhorn (Oakmere) available for second day only.

Cheshire’s next County Championship match is at home to Somerset on Sunday August 7 (11am).