ATHERTON lost the Cross Cup Final as defeat was snatched from the jaws of victory.
They needed 10 runs from the last six balls but ended four short as Little Hulton captured the Bolton Association trophy.
Atherton had looked to be in control from the first over, dismissing their rivals for a miserly 140 - and needed no reminding that 24 hours earlier, when the two sides met in a league match, they had passed Hulton's 144 total in just 18 overs.
On Sunday they replied solidly, moving comfortably to 78-3 when opener Chris Partington was stumped by Mark Lee; but, with Little Hulton guilty of spilling straightforward catches, the odds still strongly favoured Atherton.
The bowlers stuck manfully to their task, and the run rate rose alarmingly as the runs began to dry up.
Still, 10 runs off the final six balls was gettable. But Little Hulton held their nerve while Atherton's were shredded - along with their cup dreams.
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