Cricket round-up

A haul of 20 points sent the village side leap-frogging above Deane and Derby in the MANCHESTER ASSOCIATION table - they now occupy fifth place - while Bury picked up six points to remain seventh in a season where the top eight will qualify for next summer's Premier Division.

But as Brox celebrated in the Sports Club sunshine, spare a thought for Sam Leach for he took 6 for 55 to help hustle out the visitors for 158 but still ended up on the losing side.

The best resistance to his skills with the ball came from Julian Marcroft whose defiant 40 runs were to prove a vital part of an all-round team effort.

When Bury replied their Kiwi professional Owen Steverson looked capable of swinging the result with an impressive solo performance, but having completed his half century he was out for 53 and the visiting bowlers carried the honours at the end of the day.

Simon Morris led the way with 5 for 35, a splendid return which was closely followed by Eddie Hoyle's 4 for 41. Over in the CENTRAL LANCASHIRE LEAGUE there was a rare double success for Stand who saw off the challenge of Oldham on Saturday and then followed up with a derby triumph over neighbours Radcliffe who seem destined to struggle all season.

Professional Mike Warden - and not for the first time - was outstanding for the Hamilton Roaders as he came back strongly after a groin injury, his 7 for 46 off 23 overs reducing Oldham to an all out 128 as they chased a modest Stand total of 153.

The next day the Aussie had to wait until it was his turn to bat in order to take centre stage for it was Radcliffe pro Peter Skuse (78) who grabbed the spotlight as the prospective wooden spoonists reached 176 for 5.

An opening, half century partnership was a sound base for the Stand response and after Warden had survived a close run out appeal, he proved to be the match-winner in a thrilling finale, hitting the vital boundary off the fourth ball of the final over to raise his own total to 66.

The previous day Radcliffe were all out for 190 at Walsden, Craig Roscoe 53 and Dave Jones 62, but the target proved to be within the home side's grasp, despite Skuse collecting four wickets.

It was close, but Walsden hit the winning runs with one over to spare.

John Punchard's 6 for 50 had Unsworth in trouble against Werneth on Saturday. Needing to better the visitors' 208 for 5 the Parr Laners were never in the hunt and were all out for 139.

It was much closer the following day when Ashton were restricted to 158 for 8, Ramanayake 5 for 57, but once again the Unsworth batting proved far too fragile and they were all out for 130. Brothers Nigel and Chris Holder were in brilliant form for Woodbank in the LANCASHIRE COUNTY LEAGUE as they helped their side to the top score of the day, 216 for 3.

They put on 130 together with Nigel slamming 13 boundaries in his 114 not out and Chris unbeaten on 53, but Cheetham Hill refused to take it all lying down and salvaged a point at 179 for 8.

Another superb individual performance was that of Prestwich professional Graham Knowles who bowled his way to 7 for 29 as Sale Moor were dismissed for 134.

He then turned up trumps with the bat hitting an unbeaten 83 as the Heys Road side cantered to maximum points.

Professional Chris Harris shared the honours with amateur Chris Hall when Ramsbottom collected four LANCASHIRE LEAGUE points from their home game against East Lancs.

The Acre Bottom men took first strike and after skipper Ian Bell had gone for nine runs, Kiwi Harris plundered 97 off the visiting attack, scoring more than half his side's 185 for 4 before being caught out on the brink of achieving the magical 'ton'

Top resistance for East Lancs came from opener David Pearson (61) and had someone been able to shift him early in the innings then the Rams might have been on a maximum, but as it was Hall's 5 for 58 off 16 overs wasn't quite enough and the visitors closed at 156 for 9.

Just up the road from Ramsbottom there was an impressive weekend double for Edenfield who have now moved up into third place in the RIBBLESDALE LEAGUE. The crash of timber was music to Edenfield's ears on Saturday after they had scored 188 for 7, professional John Ashley 52 and John Kershaw 65.

Home team Settle seemed well on the way to victory thanks to Mark Verden (69) and Dave Morrell (67) but at 161 for 1, Bill Slinger began a 6 for 2 spell to inspire an incredible collapse which saw nine wickets fall for the addition of only 19 runs and an all out 174 left Settle suitably stunned.

The following day Neil Franklin (66) led the charge as Edenfield scored 211 for 7 at Earby. Their bowlers again rose to the occasion and the homesters were all out for 183.

Greenmount remain on the fringe of the honours race in the BOLTON LEAGUE following their 11-run victory over host club Egerton.

And it was the men from Down Under who tried to steal the limelight as Greenmount's Richard Chee Quee and Andy Downton vied with Egerton's Mike O'Rourke to produce headline-grabbing displays.

Chee Quee just about got the verdict for he was involved in almost everything, including taking five catches and dropping three others. Just for good measure he he took 4 for 36, including the wicket of O'Rourke who had scored 57.

Downton had been Greenmount's top batsman with 78 out of 194 for 8 but in the end it was a close run affair with the home side all out for 183.

It was a down and up weekend for Walshaw in the BOLTON ASSOCIATION, losing by nine wickets on Saturday and winning by a similar margin 24 hours later.

All out for 136 at Darcy Lever where 'old boy' Brett Collins took 6 for 36, Walshaw had no answer to the home side's pro Jason Whitaker (69 not out) as Darcy raced to 138 for 1.

On the same day Elton were slammed by ten wickets as Edgworth's attack rolled them over for a meagre 75, four wickets apiece for Danny Beswick and pro Chris Jones. From then on it was little more than a stroll for the title contenders.

But to prove there is life after a shocking Saturday, Walshaw blasted potential wooden spoonists Daisy Hill who were restricted to 134 for 9, Charles Dagnall 4 for 62. He then scored an unbeaten 68, professional Simon Bamford was 54 not out and the Sycamore Road men were happy.

Not so, Elton, for they had no game and must wait until this weekend to get that stunner out of their system.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.