1st XI vs WINNINGTON PARK (H)
Date/Time: Sat 7 Sept | 11:30am
Preview: The 1s will be looking to bounce back after suffering their first league defeat of the season against Heaton Mersey last week. A win over mid-table Winnington Park would surely put one of skipper Matt Owen’s hands on the 1st XI Division 3 trophy before facing the only other team who can catch them, Christleton, as part of next week’s end of season double-header. Elsewhere, Chris McArthur needs to score 61 more to reach a 1,000 league runs for the season. There are four changes to the side for the year’s last home game, as Lee Dixon, Matt Smith, David Williams and Will Colwell all return. Winnington Park are currently in 6th place and haven’t lived up to their name recently – having lost their last five.
League Position: Upton – 1st (315 pts) | Winnington Park – 6th (223 pts)
Leading Run Scorers: Upton – Chris McArthur (939) | Winnington Park – Jadan Jones (482)
Leading Wicket Takers: Upton – David Williams (28) | Winnington Park – Andrew Jackson (29)
Previous Meeting: 22 June 2024: Upton won by 116 runs after batting first and scoring 215/9 (Chris McArthur 43). They then bowled out Winnington Park for 99 (Sophie Morris 3-9).

2nd XI vs Haslington (A)
Date/Time: Sat 7 Sept | 11:30am
Preview: Having already secured promotion after beating Romiley by 96 runs last week, Rich Battersby’s table-topping 2s will now be looking to race down the final stretch to become 2nd XI Division 2 champions. However, it’s tight at the top with Maritime breathing down their necks, so there’s little room for error. This week, the 2s travel to Haslington where the skipper is making two changes to the side, with Tom Woods and Julian James coming in. Haslington are currently 9th in the table and have lost their last three, including a 34-run loss to Oulton Park last time out. Still, Upton will have to be wary of their skipper, Oliver Williams, who is the 2nd-highest run scorer in the division.
League Position: Upton – 1st (344 pts) | Haslington – 9th (178 pts)
Leading Run Scorers: Upton – Sam Talbot (397) | Haslington – Oliver Williams (536)
Leading Wicket Takers: Upton – Graeme Keenan (39) | Haslington – Callum Istead (29)
Previous Meeting: 22 June 2024: Haslington scored 203/7 (Karan Patel 3-44) but Upton were able to chase the target down in the 43rd over for the loss of just 2 wickets (Ian Potter 61; Sam Talbot 60*).

3rd XI vs BARROW 2ND XI (H)
Date/Time: Sat 7 Sept | 11:30am
Preview: In what is shaping up to be a fantastic end to the season at UCC, the 3s can also secure promotion with a win over Barrow 2s this weekend. Ian Sharrock’s side are currently perched at the top of the table, so victory would move them closer to the 2nd XI Division 3 crown going into the final weekend of the season. You wouldn’t bet against them, as the 3s are riding the wave of an 8-game winning streak, having not tasted defeat since early July. Sawda makes three changes this week, with George Williams, Paddy Delaney and Clive Moore coming into the side. Barrow find themselves at the bottom of the league. They lost to Bollington by 3 wickets last week, and have a mountain to climb if they are to escape relegation in their last few games.
League Position: Upton – 1st (316 pts) | Barrow – 12th (130 pts)
Leading Run Scorers: Upton – Ian Sharrock (365) | Barrow – Mikey Holliday (417)
Leading Wicket Takers: Upton – Simon McGowan (38) | Barrow – Harisankar Kunhi Krishnan (29)
Previous Meeting: 22 June 2024: Upton won by 110 runs after scoring 242/8 (Callum McCormick 77*) and then bowling out Barrow for 132 (Clive Moore 3-13) in the 45th over.

4th XI vs Port Sunlight 3rd XI (A)
Date/Time: Sat 7 Sept | 1pm
Preview: With three games to go, it’s all to play for at the top of Cheshire Cricket League Division C West! Phil Wood’s 4s sit in 2nd place, just a single point behind Westminster Park 2s; however, promotion is yet to be secured, as Wirral 2s are still in the hunt for the other promotion place. It makes this weekend’s game against Port Sunlight 3s a must-win clash. There are 2 changes to the side for the short journey down the M53, with Gav Byrom and Jonathan Cockrell being brought in. Upton boast the top two wicket-takers in the division, with the skipper and National Disabled Cricket League champion Alexa Harrison on 39 and 30 wickets respectively. Port Sunlight are currently in 6th place but conceded last week’s game against Barnton 2s.
League Position: Upton – 2nd (280 pts) | Port Sunlight – 6th (185 pts)
Leading Run Scorers: Upton – Phil Wood (398) | Port Sunlight – Mark Davies (294)
Leading Wicket Takers: Upton – Phil Wood (31) | Port Sunlight – Isaac McLean-Carratt, Sean Done (15)
Previous Meeting: 22 June 2024: Upton managed 212/5 (David Stewart 101) from their 40 overs before bowling Port Sunlight out for 112 (Luke Williams 4-15) to secure a 100-run win.

Sunday 1st XI vs OLD PARKONIANS (H)
Date/Time: Sun 8 Sept | 1.30pm
Preview: Tom Wood captains the Sunday 1s again as they host Old Parkonians this weekend. It’s the usual blend of youth and experience, with seven changes to the side that lost against Newsham Park last week. In comes 2024’s club overseas player Chris McArthur, along with Matt Morris, Isaac Taylor, Nathan Jones, Charlie Vernon, Henry Clark and Luca Cook.
Previous Meeting: 10 September 2023: Old Parkonians won by 2 wickets in the final over. Upton batted first and finished all out for 177 (Tom Wood 53*; George Williams 52) before Old Parkonians just made it over the line, getting to 178/8 (Nathan Jones 3-23) with two balls to spare.