Walshaw survive scare to stay top
8:21pm Monday 6th July 2009 in Sport By Nick Jackson
Bolton Association by Nick Jackson WALSHAW maintained their blistering pace at the top of the table with a seven-run victory over Atherton at Sycamore Road.
Even before a ball was bowled the showers reduced the match to 39 overs each, but after the Bury side were dismissed for 175, the rain intervened again which meant Atherton were set a revised target of 162 in 35 overs.
David Mills’ 50, captain Rob Faulkner’s 30 and Danny Holland’s 27 all contributed to Walshaw’s score, although spirited resistance came from Atherton professional Daniel Salpietro with bowling figures of 4-65.
Atherton made a fine effort to reach their target, but fell seven runs short at 155-8.
It was a more straightforward affair at Blackrod, where high-flying neighbours Standish were all out for 99.
Chief wicket-takers for Blackrod were Hassan Bhojani and professional Asela Jayasinghe with 3-15 and 3-17 respectively.
The hosts had little trouble knocking off the required runs with Jayasinghe scoring 67 not out as Blackrod made 100-1 to inflict the only significant defeat on one of the Association’s leading sides all weekend.
Second-placed Little Hulton did not let their standards drop at Spring View, where they dismissed the hosts for 140, despite Mark James’s 28 and David Gornall’s 36.
Abir Chippa took 5-34 for the Salford men and pro Hassain Abbas distinguished himself with 4-65 before their batsmen came in to knock off the required runs for the loss of just three wickets.
Mark Penny hit 85 not out and Chippa got in on the act again with a knock of 34.
Darcy Lever’s Jimmy Dearing and Nick Fawcett both notched 34 in their side’s 188-6 as they put the Association’s bottom club Flixton to the sword.
The Manchester side were set a revised total of 177 off 39 overs after rain had interrupted play, but could only muster 121 all out.
Hosts Edgworth compounded a miserable weekend for Adlington in a match reduced to 41 overs each by the showers.
The Turton men notched 210-7 with Simon Lord hitting 61 and Tom Liversedge 46 before Adlington were skittled for 152, although their pro, Majid Majeed, returned bowling figures of 4-78.
Elton will draw encouragement from their 64-run win over Astley and Tyldesley at Walshaw Park.
The Bury men scored 233-5 with Liam Jackson hitting 56, 14-year-old Lancashire junior Ashley Gowers 32 and John Ashworth 53 not out, with Gowers’ dad Mark chipping in with 24.
But A&T could not get near the required total, despite Jim Cutt’s 44, Chris Bullock’s 49 and Paul Bennett’s 26, as Peter Lomas took 4-44 and 15-year-old leg spinner Mike Ward 3-18.
Strugglers Golborne got themselves a morale-boosting win at home to Daisy Hill.
Daisy posted a gettable score of 165 with pro Anwar-Ul-Haq scoring 31 and Mark Wood an unbeaten 41.
Golborne reached 168 with seven wickets to spare, pro Ben Slater hitting 75 having already taken 3-59 in the Daisy innings. Paul Farrar was 27 not out.
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