THE curtain came down on the 2002 cricket season at Higham Park on Saturday with the visit of Walshaw and while Atherton were well out of contention themselves they did end up having a major say in where the league title ended up.

The visitors turned up hoping to win and make it four league titles in succession, but they had not bargained for the determination of Rob Clews and his boys who were out avenge a Cross Cup semi-final defeat at the hands of the Bury-based side.

Clews won the toss and decided to bat. Karl Brown and Paul McLoughlin put on 11 against the bowling of pro Jon Fielding and Bret Collins before McLoughlin was caught off Fielding before he had scored.

Phil Wakefield joined Brown and the pair continued where they had left off against Golborne in the previous match with some patient batting. But when the scored had reached 47, Brown was bowled by Walshaw skipper Rob Faulkner for 25.

Eight balls

Clews promoted himself to number four in the batting order but lasted only eight balls, scoring three. Professional Mihir Diwakar hit a six but soon followed Clews, caught for 13.

Eighteen-years-old David Marsh then joined Wakefield and the pair put together the best partnership of the innings, 48. When both were out in quick succession, Wakefield run out for 51 and Marsh caught for 24 with the score on 139. Pauls, Brown and Walsh, then pushed the score to a final 154 for the loss of eight wickets.

Fielding bowled throughout to finish with 2-72 but Faulkner was more successful taking 4-46 from 18.

Walshaw lost their first wicket to the fourth ball of the first over when Mihir had the dangerous Anthony Harris taken by wicketkeeper Phil Williamson.

Rob Faulkner had made just seven when Mihir turned catcher, off the bowling of Wakefield. Fielding scored five from seven balls before he provided Mihir with his second wicket. Opener Geoff Dyson had reached 26 when he found himself bowled by Mihir.

Danny Hornby came and went first ball, bowled by Mihir. Second team bowler Rob Merga then broke a stubborn partnership between Collins and Liam Riley when he bowled Riley for 14 and after labouring uncharacteristically for a top score of 39, Collins was well caught and bowled by Mihir.

Mihir hit the stumps again. This time Alan Caunce was the victim and he struck again in the same over when he had Lee Chapman lbw.

Wakefield polished off the innings when he took an excellent match by taking his second wicket to give Atherton a 24-run win with 10 overs to spare.

As news came through of Spring View's victory over Darcy Lever, Bolton Association president Tom Boardman dashed from Atherton to Spring View to present the championship trophy.

Mihir finished with excellent figures of 7-63 from 15 overs and returns home having taken 43 wickets in just 10 matches together with 252 runs scored.