THE latecomers to Higham Park on Saturday missed early inning fireworks from new Atherton pro Mihir Diwakar as he sent back the first four Edgworth batsmen in the space of five overs.

Bowling in tandem with Ian Nuttall after skipper Rob Clews had won the toss, he clean bowled Dave Critchley for one; had John Mills caught by Nuttall for seven and then had both skipper Denver Thornton and opposite pro Pahim Ahmed lbw.

It was then the turn of Nuttall to get in on the act, having Neil Barlow and Rob Dobie snapped up by keeper Phil Williamson before bowling Ian Liversage for 11. When he had Steve Liversage brilliantly caught by 15-years-old Karl Brown before he had scored, the score stood on 35-8 and the match had only been in progress for 70 minutes.

However, the tea ladies were saved embarrassment by a ninth wicket partnership of 31 between Chris Locke and Danny Beswick. When Locke was run out by a direct throw from Paul Walsh, last man Jack Boulding joined Beswick to put on 29 for the last wicket before Boulding was bowled by Mihir to give the pro a five wicket haul on his debut.

Edgworth were all out for 95 in the 37th over.

Atherton's reply opened with Karl Brown and Paul McLoughlin. Brown looked particularly good until he was well caught by Ahmed after making nine. McLoughlin was caught for one with the score at 14 and it was left to the two Phillips, West and Wakefield, to take their side to within four runs of victory.

West was at his most imperious, hitting 10 fours in his 51 to celebrate his invitation to play for Cheshire in the Minor Counties championship against Devon.

The usually fluent Wakefield was not in the best of touch and struggled for his 24, being dropped twice on the day. Paul Walsh and Mihir got the four runs needed for victory to take a maximum four points.

This weekend Atherton have just one match, a local derby against A&T on Saturday.