ATHERTON CC are fast becoming one of the most generous teams in the Bolton Association.

For the third time this season they threw away a winning position and gifted the match to Adlington.

After restricting their opponents to a gettable 167, the Higham Park boys collapsed from a winning position of 97-1 to lose by 10 runs.

Winning the toss, skipper Paul Brown inserted the home side who progressed at a slow pace against the accuracy of pro Mihir Diwakar and Ian Nuttall. After bowling eight overs for 13 runs and one wicket, Nuttall was replaced by David Baines who too a wicket in his first over when he bowled Mike Halliwell for a top score of 38.

Diwakar then had opener Andrew Robinson well held by Paul Keenan. Baines took a second wicket when Mike Rawlinson was brilliantly caught by Nuttall at slip for one. Diwakar then dismissed fellow pro Mathew Taylor for 32, superbly taken on the boundary edge by David Marsh.

Boosted

The home side were then at 105-5 but were boosted by a partnership of 55 by skipper Eddie Haddon (32) and Duncan McNally (28). A further two wickets fell, one to Baines and one run out as the innings closed on 167-7.

Diwakar bowled unchanged for 2-76 while Baines had 3-61 from 14.

The Atherton reply was again in the hands of Karl Brown and Paul Keenan and the young stars gave their side the perfect start.

Brown batted slowly and carefully but after facing 10 dot balls Keenan then took 26 off the next 10. The 50 partnership came up in the 12th over and had reached 71 before Brown was caught for 27. After a lull of 20 dots Keenan raised his game again and in a partnership with Phil West took the score to 97.

With his own score on 63 Keenan miscued a shot from Taylor and was caught. His innings took 87 balls and contained 11 fours.

West and Phil Wakefield looked as though they would see Atherton to victory but when both were out in quick succession and with the score on 131, somebody removed the 'end domino' and six batsmen fell for the addition of just 16 runs.

Paul Walsh hung around for 31 balls to finish unbeaten on nine and Nuttall could be justifiably aggrieved to be adjudged run out going for a second run. But after such a good start in was a 'throw away' performance by the middle and lower order.

Six victims

The most successful Adlington bowler was Mark Robinson with 5-25 while there were six victims for wicket-keeper Mick Flatters.