STEVE BAILEY missed out by just four runs on the century he fully deserved.

Leigh's opening bat shrugged off a poor start to the innings to steer his side to a magnificent 224-5 and a 60-run victory against Formby.

But he was caught short of the ton, falling on 96 - his knock coming in 103 balls and featuring 13 fours and three sixes.

At 16-2, however, Leigh looked in dire straits.

Gone was Greg Dimery, lbw for two; gone was skipper Dave Dove, also for two.

But the arrival of Tom McKiernan pulled Leigh off the slippery slope and they added 116 for the third wicket in just 20 overs.

McKiernan's 39 included six boundaries, and next-man-in Colin Smith proved an equally-reliable partner.

When Bailey went Tom Monks arrived and his unbeaten 68 partnership with Smith took Leigh to the declaration, Smith on 53 from 51 balls (seven fours and a six), Monks on 21 (including three fours and a painful head blow from a bouncer).

The target always looked a stiff one, and so it was as the visitors tumbled to 76-3 thanks to the keen bowling of Dimery (3-42) and Dave Potter (2-26).

Billy Banner, however, took centre stage with the ball. His 11 straight overs decimated the Formby middle-order. He took 5-50 to leave them struggling on 138-8 and desperately trying to put up the shutters to save the game.

Tension mounted as they looked likely to do just that. Anthony Bentham almost clinched it with an over of leg spin, but finally Dimery completed the job for a jubilant Leigh.

On Saturday (June 7) they visit high-flying Wallasey.

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