ATHERTON CC maintained the points status quo between themselves and Redmayne Bentley Bolton Association League leaders Walshaw on Saturday when they completed a nine-wicket victory over Edgworth at Higham Park.

Winning the toss, Atherton skipper Steve Walsh invited the visitors to bat and the bowling was opened by Greg Dimery from the scorebox end and with Ian Nuttall operating from the football ground end.

Both bowled accurately against the experienced Edgworth opening pair of Dave Critchley and Mike Davies and after just eight overs only 11 runs were on the board.

Then three wickets fell in consecutive overs. Dimery had Davies lbw for six, Nuttall took the prize wicket of Edgworth pro Gary Garner, having him play on for a duck. Dimery struck again, bowling Critchley for three to leave the total on 14-3 in the 14th over.

This brought together skipper Nick Kernick and John Mather. Mather, who plays most of his cricket in Edgworth seconds, looked very capable and was positive in his approach with four of his first five scoring shots going to the boundary.

The pair put on 90 for the fourth wicket and stayed together until the 40th over when Mather attempted a second run and was run out three short of a half century.

Next man in, Rob Dobie, had made two when he became the second run out victim, courtesy of an excellent direct through from midwicket by Phil West.

After bowling 11 overs each, both Dimery and Nuttall had been replaced by Dave Charlson and Steve Walsh but which both bowed economically neither could get among the wickets and Nuttall was brought back for the last six overs and in the last over of the innings caught Kernick off his own bowling.

The innings closed on 141-6 with Dimery and Nuttall taking two wickets apiece to go with two run outs.

The Atherton reply was delayed by 20 minutes due to rain during the tea interval and when it finally got underway Charlson and Phil Williamson took on bowlers Chris Locke and Garner. While Locke bowled orthodox medium pace, Garner immediately turned to what has now become his trademark, slow high-looping donkey drops bowled round the wicket to a packed leg-side field.

Both bowlers troubled the batsmen but after two more breaks for rain, which reduced the overs by 12, they seemed to be getting on top when Williamson, after playing some confident shots, fell into Garner's trap and holed out to a catch by Mather on the leg-side boundary. He had made 15 and the score stood on 30 in the 12th over.

Dimery joined Charlson with 111 required from 24 overs. The pair were never in trouble as they hurried their side to victory with 10 over to spare.

Charlson finished on 70 not out, his highest score for four years, while Dimery completed his 15th half century of the season.

Atherton face a double-header this weekend, travelling to Little Hulton tomorrow before returning to Higham Park on Sunday against Blackrod.