THE cricket season is back and there is plenty of interest locally with nine clubs from our area competing at various levels of the game.

Toft and Alderley Edge are once again competing in the Cheshire County Cricket League’s Premier Division – the highest level of cricket within the county – while Lindow, Mobberley and Over Peover are also within the CCCL system.

Then in the Cheshire Cricket League, we have Wilmslow, Knutsford, Holmes Chapel and Styal Cricket Clubs.

Here’s a look at how our sides' first teams have got on in the opening two weeks of the campaign…

TOFT

Toft have lost their first two CCCL Premier Division matches, including at Grappenhall last weekend.

Batting first, they were bowled out for 181 as Tom Forster top-scored with 39 with other notable contributions from Phil Raikes (36) and Rohan Fernando (33).

The hosts knocked off the runs in just under 29 overs to record a seven-wicket win.

They had started the campaign at home to Chester Boughton Hall, whom they dismissed for 186 in the first innings as Forster (3-36) starred with the ball while James Scott and Will Dunkerley took two scalps each.

However, their batting collapsed in response and they were bowled out for 92.

ALDERLEY EDGE

After their scheduled opener at Timperley fell victim to the weather, Edge’s season kicked off on Saturday at Oxton.

Having been put into bat, they amassed 185-9 from 50 overs with Sam Perry top scoring with 53 but the hosts reached their victory target in the 43rd over for the loss of four wickets.

LINDOW

A century from Dan Newton helped Lindow kick off with a 46-run win over Brooklands on Saturday.

Newton hit 113 as the hosts amassed 216-9 before skittling the visitors for 170, with Sam Battersby and Will Espley both taking 3-25.

MOBBERLEY

It has been a mixed start for Mobberley with a win and a loss from their opening two games.

They lost by six wickets at Ashley on Saturday having been bowled out for just 101 batting first, with the hosts reaching their target inside 20 overs despite Abdul Aqeel taking three wickets.

That came after a 44-run win at Haslington in which Ibrar Latif’s knock of 63 and 44 from Liam Burgess helped them to 182 all out before Aqeel took 3-19 to help dismiss the hosts for 138 in reply.

OVER PEOVER

Over Peover’s one game so far this season ended in a heavy, 156-run defeat at Barrow

They were bowled out for 85 in response to the hosts’ massive total of 241-6, with Matt Beardsworth (25) the only player to reach double figures.

WILMSLOW

With their scheduled games against Woodford and Langley both cancelled, Wilmslow are yet to play this year so they will be hoping to get themselves going at Barnton on Saturday.

KNUTSFORD

Similar is true for Knutsford, who have seen scheduled fixtures against Cheadle Hulme Ladybridge and Lymm Oughtrington Park fall by the wayside. They are due to host Wirral on Saturday.

HOLMES CHAPEL

It is two defeats from two to start the year for Holmes Chapel, with one closer than the other.

Saturday saw them edged out by just four runs at Bunbury as they finished on 150-6 after 45 overs, with 48 from Mark Rebbeck and 32 not out from Andy Thorburn, who also took three wickets with the ball, not enough to get them past Bunbury’s total of 154-8.

Their opener saw them lose by seven wickets at home to Wirral having been bowled out for just 96 batting first.

STYAL

With fixtures against Burton and Prestbury having been cancelled, Styal are yet to get their campaign up and running.

They are due to host Heaton Mersey Village on Saturday.

Saturday’s first-team fixtures:

Cheshire County Cricket League

Premier Division: Toft vs Hyde (11am), Nantwich vs Alderley Edge (11am)

Division One: Cheadle v Lindow (12pm)

Division Two: Mobberley v Ashton-on-Mersey (12pm)

Division Three: Heaton Mersey vs Over Peover (12pm)

Cheshire Cricket League

Division One: Barnton vs Wilmslow (12.30pm)

Division Two: Knutsford vs Wirral (12.30pm), Holmes Chapel vs Malpas (12.30pm)

Division Three: Styal vs Heaton Mersey Village