FARNWORTH secured derby-day bragging rights to rise up to third in the table with victory away to rivals Farnworth Social Circle.

After a poor start to the season the Lavender Road side are beginning to get up a head of steam and started well when opener Ross Sutton struck 28.

Shaquille Cumberbatch added 25 in the middle order but it was 10th-placed batsman Matthew Hicks’ contribution which was most significant as he hit 48 not out to push the total up to 160 as Farnworth were bowled out.

Ryan Ayres and Chris Barrow did the most damage with the ball, taking three wickets each.

Jake O’Bryne (25), Ayres (32) and Chris Taylor (40) all scored high in reply but Kamran Younas’ seven-wicket haul for 40 runs saw the Piggott Park side fall 17 runs short of the target.

But Farnworth captain Simon Booth thought the game was not as tight as the scoreline suggested.

“We won comfortably really,” he told The Bolton News. “We have not won many against Social Circle in recent years so it was nice to get one over on them.

“We were really struggling on 67-6 until Matthew Hicks and our overseas Shaquille (Cumberbatch) really put us back in the frame.

“They were really struggling with the bat and we were taking wickets regularly and looked comfortable until Chris Taylor came in and hit 40.

“But our pro (Kamran Younas) was in top form and bowled the best he has all season.”

Farnworth are the Premiership’s highest-scoring side with 651 runs – but it is with his bowling attack where skipper Booth thinks his side’s strengths lie.

He added: “I would say we’re shocking at batting. Our strength really lies with our bowling and I think if we were to score 160 against any side they would struggle to reply.

“Hopefully this win kick starts our season now. This was probably the only game which has not been weather affected, whether that be a wet pitch or loss of overs, and it was really nice to get in a good game of proper cricket in front of a decent crowd.”

Meanwhile, Westhoughton squeezed past Horwich by six runs to leapfrog their opponents into fourth in the table.

The Howfeners opened the batting with David Naylor who scored 34 and sixth-placed batsman Mark Atherton, who impressed with 67 as they tallied 181 before the collapse of the final wicket.

Brett Pelser was the key danger-man with the ball with figures of 6-50. And the target looked very achievable when Horwich openers Phil Ingram (33) and Tom Billington (62) put on a 66-run first-wicket partnership.

But a quick bowling pursuit followed as Oliver Newby (4-59) and Qaiser Abbas (3-42) were able to swat down the victims six runs shy of the target.

Tahir Maqsood starred with the ball as Walkden cruised past Eagley.

The bowler took 6-36 as the visitors crumbled for just 90 runs. Opener Michael Ward top scored with 28.

Ben Smith hit 41 not out and Asif Zakir knocked 32 not out as Walkden reached the target for the loss of one wicket.

Results

Farnworth Social Circle 143, Farnworth 160. Farnworth won by 17 runs.

Heaton 73, Bradshaw 74-1. Bradshaw won by nine wkts.

Horwich 175, Westhoughton 181. Westhoughton won by six runs.

Kearsley 103-4, Lostock 102. Kearsley won by six wkts.

Walkden 92-1, Eagley 91. Walkden won by nine wkts.