Timperley Cricket Club chairman Jurjees Hasan confessed he was “grinning like a Cheshire cat” after the club’s three top teams all won key games.

And in a huge boost to the ambitious club’s future, five teenagers played key roles in the victories.

For the first team, Freddie Vaughan-Hawkins continued in his rich vein of form, scoring 75, and Dylan Parekh hit 35 as they chased down the Widnes total of 252.

The second team got back to winning ways thanks to Muhammad Murtaza, with 3-22, and Aryan Dash (2-13) restricting Cheadle Hulme to 115 all out - a total easily surpassed in just 29 overs.

And Josh Van Dellen top scored for the third team with 53 as they posted 205, which was too big target for the visitors Knutsford, who could only muster 184.

Cheshire county batsman Van Dellen said: “It was my second half-century for the seniors and I feel my wicketkeeping is improving all the time, too.

“The important thing, however, is the team won to keep us in the promotion hunt.”

Chairman Hasan hailed the five teenage starlets and said: “I was smiling like a Cheshire cat all weekend.

“We have some smashing young players coming through which is a reflection on their dedication to the game and the club coaches.”

First-team skipper Ed Galley said strike bowlers Chris Page and Jonathan Fowler made it very difficult for the Widnes batsmen to score freely in their game.

Galley added: “Another notable mention goes to Jonathan Fletcher who took a rare first XI hat-trick with some good death bowling.

“We lost early wickets in our reply, courtesy of some great bowling from the Widnes opening pair leaving us 33-3.

“However, from this moment onwards, our chase really got under way, thanks to Viraj Sorathia and Freddie.

“The 80-run Freddie-Dylan partnership was extremely mature beyond their years - and a highly impressive display of batting under pressure in a game we desperately needed to win.

“ Despite losing some late wickets, the tail held their nerve to take us home to a massive win away from home and a result that takes us to the cusp of safety, which will be achieved if we beat Toft at home on Saturday.”

Proud dad Shahnawaz Khan, the second-team captain, was full of praise for the team’s “all-round team performance” - and was naturally delighted his son Muhammad, who followed on from his three-wicket haul against Cheadle Hulme to notch his first half-century for the club’s academy team, who lost by one run on Sunday against Urmston.