ATHERTON CC professional Andy Hall produced one of the finest innings ever seen at Higham Park in the rain-affected draw with Edgworth on Sunday.

Big-hitting Hall demolished the Edgworth attack as he plundered an unbeaten 121 off just 84 balls.

Atherton's new look opening pair, Philip West and Jonathan Hyde put together Atherton's biggest first wicket partnership of the summer, 54, with West making 39 and Hyde 34.

Ian Nuttall and Paul Walsh weighed in with 24 and 11 respectively but Hall's introduction at the fall of the second wicket heralded a devastating display.

After facing six dot balls he then took the Edgworth bowling apart. His 50 came of 47 balls with 6 fours and a six, his century of 73 ball with 7 fours and 5 sixes and finished undefeated on 121 with 9 fours and 6 sixes. In all he only failed to score of 30 balls.

Hall shared in an undefeated ninth wicket partnership of 44 with David Charlson whose share was three!

The Edgworth reply was built round an innings of 74 from opener Mike Davies but with their score of 148-7 bad light and rain ended the match early.

Best of the Atherton bowlers was Charlson with 3-28.

The previous day Atherton were edged out at Darcy Lever where the home side scraped home with two balls to spare.

A much-changed Atherton side had to draft in an additional three 16-year-olds in Mark Fryer, Mark Scollick and Nathan Monks to join regular teenagers Philip Williamson and Paul Walsh.

Acting skipper Andy Hall decided to bat first but the only batsman to distinguish himself was opener Greg Greenough with 24 from 60 balls.

At 96-7 an early finish looked on the cards but Walsh and Fryer put together the best partnership of the innings, 50, with Fryer making 19 and Walsh 37 not out to boost the Atherton score to 149-8.

Dracy Lever's reply was reduced by one over due to rain and at 81-1 in the 24th over and with Gary Harper and Jason Whittaker going well, they looked on course for an easy victory.

But the run out of Harper, coupled with the introduction of Greenough into the attack, signalled a steady fall of wickets. Darcy squeezed home with two balls to spare and with the last pair at the crease.

Greenough completed an excellent match, adding 6-30 to his 24 runs.