OWENS Corning St Helens Recs can claim to have been victims of the 'great rain robbery' which denied them of a certain victory over visitors Bolton on Saturday.

Having been asked to bat first on a damp wicket, the competition newcomers lost their first wicket on 17 when former St Helens player Geoff Cropper (3) fell to an excellent Ian Huyton slip catch from Stephen Garvey.

He was replaced by New Zealand test player Matthew Hart, who with opener Sackfield, took the score to 34 before Hart was well taken by Freeman off Williams for 8.

When another catch from Garvey from the bowling of Baines dismissed Sackfield for 18 the Bolton batsmen, with the exception of John Hitchmough capitulated in the face of fine spells from Phil Baines (4-35) and Scott Williams (4-38).

While the majority of the visitors batsmen lacked any real spirit and, at times, appeared content to bemoan the dank conditions, Hitchmough played in positive mode before falling lbw to Baines for 24.

In between a number of interruptions for rain, the rest of the Bolton batting formed a procession to and from the pavilion before Stephen Garvey (2-11) finished off what he had begun, as the visitors were dismissed for a paltry 94.

Having complained of the 'demons' in the Ruskin wicket, the visitors seemed surprised at the ease with which the Recs openers set about their task with Stuart Lyon (23 not out) and Ian Huyton (8 not out) playing the Bolton bowling with ease, only test spinner Hart being able to stem the flow. The weather, however, contrived to rob Recs of an inevitable victory, as the teams left the field with the home side on 35-0.

The seconds were more successful and recorded a win in a much more exciting game at Bolton.

John Ericson's excellent form and consistency were again to the fore, as he led the Ruskin batting with 58 while skipper Neil Aconley played a captain's innings of 48 to give Recs a solid platform. Neil Hull's 30 showed the potential that has seen him play almost all season in the first team and he was aided by Mark Potter, whose 21 underlined his progress as a genuine all-rounder, as Recs scored 178 against some good home bowling.

In reply, Bolton made a good fist of the chase, although Potter with 5-66 proved a constant thorn in the side, and with all the other bowler's chipping in, the home side were eventually dismissed for 173.

The weekend sees Recs play a number of 'derbies'. On Friday they travel to Prescot in the Liverpool Echo KO, while on Saturday they visit Windleshaw Road in games sponsored by Dentons Green Post Office and Specsavers Opticians.

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