FOR the second weekend in succession the weather was a major player in the Bolton Cricket Association.

Whereas the previous weekend saw a Saturday washout this time it was the Sunday games that fell victim.

Atherton and opponents Elton had to settle for six points apiece awarded for abandoned game. For the home side this was no more than the six obtained from a draw a Spring View the previous day.

Atherton won the toss at Spring View and elected to field. With Greg Dimery and Ian Nuttall bowling a tight line, Spring View found it difficult to get the ball away and lost their first wicket in the seventh over, Dimery was the bowler and Nuttall the catcher.

Dimery then took a further two wickets and with Dave Charlson taking two in two balls the home side were 72-5 at the halfway stage.

Skipper Paul Matthews, who had been dropped when on one, was joined by professional Ian Critchley and the pair put together a partnership of 75. Critchley raced to 32 off his first 20 balls and finished unbeaten on 56. Matthews was finally bowled by Dimery for 62 off 75 balls. With opener Nigel Geary being the only other batsman to get into double figures, the innings closed on 177-7.

Generous

Charlson took 2-36 from six while Dimery finished with 4-51 from 18. But once again Atherton were more than generous with the extras, conceding 26.

Rain during the interval reduced the second innings by four overs. Atherton opened with Charlson and Paul McLoughlin who was the first to go, caught behind for five.

Dimery then joined Charlson and the pair took the score to 63 at which point Dimery was ruled out lbw for 33.

When Charlson was stumped for 26, Philip Wakefield and Park Parry came together and put on an excellent 50 from 62 balls. Both batsmen showed a great sense of purpose and looked like they would steer Atherton to victory until both were out in the most unlikely of ways.

Wakefield, playing defensively forward, dead batted the ball into the ground only to see it spin back and dislodge a bail. Parry, who had just reached his first half century at senior level, was run out by a speculative throw while backing up.

The remaining batsmen could not maintain the momentum and with the ninth wicket falling to the first ball of the last over and it was left to David Baines to keep out the last five balls to secure a draw.

This weekend Atherton meet Spring View again, at Higham Park on Sunday in the second round of the Cross Cup. On Saturday they visit Blackrod for a league game.