6. May 2026

Oulton Park on Fire! 300 Posted, Five-For Secured

Oulton Park CC 1st XI vs North East Cheshire 1st XI | 2nd May 2026

Some days, everything just clicks.

Batting flows, bowlers hit their straps, catches stick — and the scoreboard tells a very happy story. This was one of those days for Oulton Park.

A toss won, a bat taken, and a statement made. Skipper Andy Dufty chose to set the tone against North East Cheshire Cricket Club — and his side delivered in style.

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Strong start sets the platform

Danny Leech (23) and George Moss (21) got things moving nicely, putting on 42 for the opening wicket and taking the shine off the new ball.

From there, Frank Farrington (36) kept things ticking, combining with Dufty to push the score past 100 and build a solid base. When Farrington fell in the 30th over, Oulton Park were well placed… but what came next took the game out of reach.

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Captain fantastic… again

Dufty was already well set — but he was far from done. Joined by Owen Williamson (68), the pair turned control into complete dominance. Their 105-run partnership in just 10 overs was explosive, clinical, and ultimately decisive.

Boundaries flowed, gaps opened, and the visitors simply had no answers.

Dufty finished unbeaten on 107* — bettering his previous best and underlining a sensational start to the season. Williamson’s fluent knock marked his 50th appearance for the 1st XI in style.

A late push from Avinash Shastri and Jonny Litler helped Oulton Park post a commanding 300 for 6.

The game was very much on their terms.

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Shastri shines with a five-star performance

If the batting was emphatic, the bowling was ruthless.

Early pressure came from Jamie Sandlands and Litler, with Litler striking to remove Lewis Clarke and keep things tight up top. Behind the stumps, Farrington was in the thick of it again, snapping up catches and keeping standards high.

Then came the standout spell of the day.

Avinash Shastri.

Five wickets. Clinical. Relentless.

His “Michelle” ripped through the middle order, breaking any hope of a comeback. Wickets fell regularly, partnerships never formed, and the chase quickly unravelled.

At 167 for 8, the writing was already on the wall.

Litler and Frazer Heginbotham tidied up the tail, wrapping things up inside 40 overs and sealing a comprehensive victory.

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Three from three — and flying

Rain threatened, but never arrived. Instead, Oulton Park delivered a performance full of confidence, control, and quality across the board.

• Another century for the skipper
• A milestone knock for Williamson
• A five-wicket haul for Shastri
• Sharp work in the field

Everything you want to see from a side in form.

Three games. Three wins. Momentum building nicely.

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Next up… more cricket to come

No time to slow down. Haslington are next in the league, followed by a Cheshire Cup clash with Warrington at Pinfold Lane. If Oulton Park keep playing like this, they’ll take some stopping.