Manchester Association: IT may well be the start of the 2004 season but BROOKSBOTTOMS still possess one of their annoying habits of last year - the inability to capitalise on a position of strength.

Having asked Heath to bat first, the Summerseat outfit quickly assumed the dominant role though their ace paceman Tommy Read and new boy Josh Pellowe.

With the batting side teetering at 65 for 5, courtesy of a brace each for Pellowe and spinner Gareth Williams.

Brox somehow surrendered the initiative. Credit Newton Heath batsmen Catherall and Wanless though for taking the fight to Brox.

Their partnership of 80 was the key stand of the match and was the principal reason why they were able to post a respectable score of 172 for 9.

Openers Simon Armsbey and Neil Richardson set a solid platform for Brox with an opening stand of 66.

But from the moment Richardson was trapped in front, it was downhill all the way.

No-one else was able to frasp the nettle as the middle order folded meekly in the fact of tidy bowling.

The tailenders stuck to the task manfully but had too much to do as the visitors moved in for the kill, leaving Brox 35 runs adrift.

In the Premier Division, BURY travelled to neighbours Bolton to find the prepared wicket was too wet to play on.

The Bolton groundstaff hastily rolled a new wicket on the very edge of the square and the home teams prayers were answered when their skipper won the toss and invited Bury to bat.

Bury always struggled to get to grips with the conditions, only professional Nick Kennedy making any telling contribution with 36 before becoming one of seven victims for spinner Asghar.

Captain Mike Brawn and Karl Belston were the only two other batsmen to get to double figures with 13 apiece as Bury collapsed to 84 all out.

Bolton didn't find the total all that easy losing five wickets in the process.

Sam Leach being the pick of the Bury bowlers, getting the rewards for pitching the ball up and taking two wickets for six runs.

Young Ammar Baig came on late in the day and also helped himself to a brace.