Leigh strike back

after shock defeat

IT was a weekend of mixed fortunes for E.D.S. Leigh with a shock defeat away to newly promoted Huyton followed by an excellent win in the National Knockout competition against strong Northern League opponents Chorley who had been national champions on two previous occasions.

Leigh were probably quite happy that Huyton's West Indian test fast bowler Marlon Black was a non-starter but, after Dave Dove (48) and Tim Rees (31) had taken the score to 96 for 2, the rest of their normally resilient batting line-up collapsed in unexpected fashion against some mainly steady, but unspectacular, bowling.

They struggled to 146 all out off 58.4 overs with spinner Nawab claiming 4 for 29 off 16.4 overs. Leigh's cause was not helped by some debatable umpiring decisions but, apart from Dove and Rees this was a mainly unadventurous and below par performance from their batsmen.

The bowlers also struggled to find their form as Jude Mahadaanarachchi (48) and David Heyes (57) guided Huyton to victory off 34.5 overs with four wickets to spare.

None of the six bowlers tried by Leigh managed to take more than one wicket and dropped catches did nothing to help.

Leigh were put in to bat by Chorley and, after losing both openers with only 15 runs scored, Tim Rees (62) and Heath Pedrola (36) took the score to 100. Following their dismissal, Ronnie Davis carried on the good work with an excellent 46 and Greg Jennings chipped in with 16 not out to take the home side to a healthy 195 for 7 off their reduced allotment of 44 overs.

Against tight bowling by Davis and Jennings, Chorley struggled from the outset to keep the score moving and, with Pedrola and Melia carrying on the good work, even a reduced target of 147 off 32 overs caused by stoppages for rain proved to be beyond them.

Their tailenders were forced to hit out but with Steven Mullaney (2 for 29) and Paul Vallance (3 for 28) picking up wickets they were dismissed for 114 in the final over to give Leigh a convincing 33-run victory.

A big weekend is in prospect at Beech Walk with a visit from Wigan in a league match followed by another potentially titanic struggle against a Bootle side recently further strengthened by new signings in the first round of the Lancashire Cup.