Hosts Folkton & Flixton edged out in Championship opener by Welton

Will Hutchinson top-scored with 46. Picture by Will Palmer.

Welton won the toss and having chosen to bat Flixton took regular wickets, reducing the visitors to 92 for 5 but Welton fought back gamely with opener Matthew Wilkinson holding the innings together with an impressive 95 from 118 balls, including nine fours and three sixes.

Connor Stephenson, Charlie Colley and Elliot Hatton took two wickets each as Welton finished on 222 for 6 with captain Chris Lound adding a vital 51 not out late in the innings, Jack Steel chipping in with a valuable 22 not out, the duo sharing an unbeaten seventh-wicket partnership of 48.

In spite of a solid knock of 46 from opening batter Will Hutchinson, a quickfire 39 by captain Harry Walmsley and all-rounder Elliot Hatton's 35, the Flixton reply fell just eight runs short with five balls of their 50 overs remaining.

Elliot Hatton shone with bat and ball in Flixton's home loss.

Thomas Brown snapped up 4 for 40 and Ben Wilkinson scooped 3 for 66 as the visitors stemmed the Flixton run chase in spite of a stubborn last-wicket stand by Lee Elvidge (10) and Callum Hatton (5no).

The Voneus Village Cup encounter that was originally scheduled for Sunday April 23 at Woodhouse Grange was cancelled due to ground conditions, so Flixton will now play host to Grange this Sunday, April 30, starting at 1pm

This coming Saturday Flixton will travel to Driffield 2nds in the Championship (East).