ANDREW SWARBRICK is confident Chirk can get even better as they search for a hat-trick of John Rees Division One victories.

Chirk brushed aside the challenge of previously unbeaten Alberbury last weekend, the visitors securing an 81-run success to jump into second spot in the table.

Next up for Chirk in the Shropshire League tomorrow is a short trip to close neighbours Knockin & Kinnerley and captain Swarbrick is excited about the amount of growth still left in his players.

“It was a good victory,” said Swarbrick of his side’s slaying of Alberbury. “It was another perfect example of the fact that if you bowl, field and bat well then you will usually get a decent result.

“The only slight disappointment is that our batsmen couldn’t kick-on and convert starts into big scores, although that does feel as though it is nitpicking when you win as well as we do.”

Swarbrick feels that batsmen turning promising starts into big scores would also help Chirk claim the dominant victory that has evaded them so far this term.

Chirk posted 193 for seven last weekend with Mark Shaw (40), Nick Flack (31), James Carter (22) and Ollie Gough (21) all getting in and then out.

“I want our batsmen to kick-on and I’m sure they will,” continued Swarbrick. “We’ve won back-to-back games and when you do that the next thing you want is a big win.”

Regardless of how big the margin of victory is, Swarbrick knows a perfect sequence of results between now and the end of the season would see them win top their group.

“We know we are in a mini league and we want to win it,” said Swarbrick. “We know what we’ve got to do to win games and we know that if we win every game between now and the end of the season we will finish top.”

After Chirk posted 193 for seven, the bowlers impressed to dismiss Alberbury for 112.

Billy Swarbrick, Luke Gardner, Flack and Swarbrick all claimed two wickets apiece for Chirk.

“Alberbury were a good side and we managed to restrict them to 112,” said Swarbrick.

“Billy in particular was unreal with the ball. He bowled eight overs of spin on the bounce and conceded just 16 runs. It was a match-winning spell.”

Tom King returns for Chirk with Sam Davies in-line to return to the second XI, who entertain Knockin & Kinnerley Seconds tomorrow.

Northop Hall will be looking to bounce back from last weekend’s defeat to Colwyn Bay by beating Prestatyn tomorrow.

Hall secured a five-wicket success over Prestatyn on the first day of the month and Michael Barnes’ men will be searching for a repeat performance. The Flintshire side’s seconds host Prestatyn Seconds.