LEIGH CC had a successful weekend with victories both in the league and Lancashire Cup competitions.

New Brighton were the visitors for an important league clash on Saturday as Leigh aimed to make up ground on the leading pack.

Having been asked to bat first, Leigh soon lost opener Nigel Hallows. This brought Dave Dove to the wicket to join Andy Batterley and together they added 64 in 21 overs before Batterley was bowled for a patient 38, his innings included 5 fours and a six.

Assistance

On a wicket which offered assistance to the bowlers, seeing off New Brighton's opening attack proved to be a good ploy. Dove began to open his shoulders and showed a welcome return to form reaching his 50 in 92 balls.

Andy Mullaney offered support with a quick-fire 22 but when Steve Bailey and Gareth Cross were both dismissed, Leigh were reduced to 126-4 and the innings was in the balance.

Dove was undeterred by these setbacks as he raced from 50 to 100 in just 29 balls, being particularly severe on the slow bowling combination of Horrocks and Murtagh. His century included 16 fours and a six.

Iqbal Sikander also got in the act with 17 from 12 balls, but it was Dove with a further five boundaries who led the way, finishing unbeaten on 125 to enable skipper Bailey to declare on 224-6 from just 47 overs.

Dove was immediately back in the action, taking over the captaincy from Bailey who broke a hand while batting.

If Dove stole the show with the bat, then it was Sikander who did the damage with the ball.

His first victim was Bryson for a duck and this proved to be the start of a procession as he produced a spell of the highest quality. Ronnie Davis maintained the pressure at the other end, bowling 13 overs for just 14 runs.

At 73-5, New Brighton's chance of victory had all but gone with Sikander grabbing all five. Colin Smith trapped Verry lbw to break the sequence but Sikander quickly wrapped up the tail. Only David Hayes offered any resistance with a determined 45 before being bowled round his legs with a vicious spinning delivery.

New Brighton were all out for 101 with Sikander finishing with astonishing 9-62 from 23.3 overs.

The following day Leigh's visitors in the second round of the Lancashire Cup were Wythenshawe, a side unbeaten in the Manchester Association this season.

Confident

Wythenshawe's confidence was evident as they bowled and fielded well and took wickets at regular intervals.

Despite 19 from Dove, 14 from Mullaney and 23 from Davis, it was Cross who was able to break free from the stranglehold. Cross made a useful 54 from 69 balls, including 6 fours as he held Leigh's innings together. But when he was dismissed with the score on 122, Leigh only had seven overs left to post a challenging total.

Leigh's strength in depth with their batting proved vital as Smith and Dave Potter added 42 to lift Leigh's total to 174 in their allotted 45 overs. Smith was unbeaten on 18 and Potter on 20 which included one huge six onto the tennis courts.

Leigh seemed to have claimed a vital psychological edge in those final overs and two early wickets from Davis and Smith appeared to re-enforce the point.

However, Wythenshawe's Australian, Costello, joined Wisniewski and the game entered a crucial stage. They took the score to 60-2 but when Potter trapped Wisniewski and Sikander accounted for Costello, Wythenshawe's chances of victory went with them.

101-6 became 113 all out as Leigh eased into the next round by a margin of 61 runs. Davis finished with 3-18, Sikander 3-21, Melia 1-25, Potter 2-20 and Smith 1-27.

Tomorrow Leigh make the trip to Colwyn Bay for a league game while on Sunday they entertain St Helens at Beech Walk in the second round of the Chelmere Homes Trophy.