Bolton League: Egerton in command
8:52pm Sunday 18th May 2008 in Sport By David Magilton
EGERTON took advantage of a day of upsets and controversy to stretch their lead at the top of the Anthony Axford Bolton League.
It took a nail-biting last over, however, before they managed to inflict a fourth successive defeat on Farnworth Social Circle.
The home side made 159-7 with Luke Perry top scorer with 63. In reply, Egerton needed five off the last over and one off the last ball, which Tom Fairclough duly dispatched to the boundary for four. Da Silva hit 46 while Chris Barrow took 6-62.
Champions Walkden suffered an unlikely tie at Horwich, where the fast-improving home side were denied the shock of the season by one run.
They needed six off the last over but could only manage five to finish on 166-9. Rakeb Mahmood, younger brother of Lancashire paceman Sajid, hit an unbeaten 39 as Dale Jones and Praveen Gupta each took three wickets. Steve Higson top scored with 38 for Walkden while Deeraj Jadhav took 4-45.
There was a shock at Eagley where previously unbeaten Farnworth came to grief by two wickets, again after a gripping last over.
Paul Rayment with 66 and David White 54 shared in a second wicket stand of 106 runs, but Farnworth could only muster 170 as Mike O'Rourke, bowling in the league for the first time in two seasons after recovering from a shoulder injury, took 5-36. In reply, Eagley won by two wickets with O'Rourke 43, Phil McDermott 33 and Alex Robinson unbeaten on 20.
A glorious unbeaten 153 from Little Lever pro Naumanuall was the key to their seven-run win over Astley Bridge. Anthony Hilton gave him good support with 85. The previous record by a Little Lever professional was 145 set by K Sajid in 2005.
Bridge made a good fist of the reply with Simon Entwistle 59 and Dalugoda 55, but they fell just short of the total.
Westhoughton's lean start to the season continued with a five-wicket defeat to Greenmount, who once again had to thank their in-form pro Ashar Zaidi for doing most of the damage. He took 4-26 to help dismiss Westhoughton for 157 and then hit 78 to see his side home.
Heaton's miserable start to the season continued when resurgent Kearsley showed them no mercy as they reached 249-7, with Steve Pellowe top scorer on 61. In reply, Heaton were dismissed for 106 with Peter Morris taking 4-10.
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