STAND bustled their way to an emphatic 91-run victory when they entertained Heywood on Saturday.

They opened the batting in this CENTRAL LANCASHIRE LEAGUE match at Hamilton Road and were content to score at something like three per over in conditions that were far from ideal.

An 82-run opening partnership involving Roberts (42) and Ramsbottom (36) was a sound base and although both men went in the space of 17 runs, professional Warden (46 not out) and skipper Seedle (13 not out) ensured there were no major hiccups en route for a score of 147 for 3 off 48 overs.

If Heywood felt that total was within their compass they were to be rudely disillusioned as Warren's first two overs each produced a wicket and Warden then got in on the act with a pair of wicket maidens.

At 26 for 5 the visitors were down and almost out, but Cross defiantly amassed 34 runs in an 80-minute stay at the crease.

But it was all to no avail when he was last man out in the 39th over with the total on 80.

Warden (3 for 11) and Warren (3 for 19) were the pick of the bowlers for cock-a-hoop Stand who were 24 without loss at The Racecourse the following day when rain forced the game to be abandoned. Had there been any dust to bite on Saturday, then Radcliffe would have had a mouthful of it.

After winning the toss and electing to take first strike they ran into a Crompton attack which gave little away and squeezed only 108 runs from their 45 overs for the loss of eight wickets.

Top scorer was David Jones who needed 75 minutes for his 26 runs before falling victim to a stumping by Maher who also caught Graham Simpson, both off the bowling of Nasar.

Andy Sajewicz (19) became one of only three batsmen to reach double figures and the difficulty of scoring was underlined by the fact that only two 4s were recorded before the end of the allotted overs.

Best bowler was Les Whittle with 4 for 41 off 23 overs with the other two wickets to fall going to professional Iqbal. John Nuttall started well for Radcliffe with two maiden overs and a wicket in his third and fifth overs to reduce Crompton to 19 for 2.

But even though he claimed a third victim to make it 47 for 3, the home side were well up with the clock and Iqbal (31) and Dublin (36) provided the backbone which enabled Crompton to cruise to a match-winning 109 for 5 in the 36th over.

Sri Lankan professional Ramanayake was the hero as Unsworth got the better of bottom-of-the-table Middleton in a last ball thriller.

The paid man led the way with 55 runs as the home side pushed on to 175 for 7 after being asked to take first knock onm a soft, wet wicket.

Manley and Saeed put on 47 for the first wicket to give Unsworth a sound base and Ramanayake cashed in, his 55 including two splendid 6s.

The professional then starred with the ball and grabbed two early wickets to halt Middleton but a stand of 91 from Batty and Gillibrand restored the balance.

It was always going to be tight after that but despite Deakin's late flourish which brought him 37 runs, he was bowled by Manley off the last ball when a six-hit was needed to tie the scores.

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