WESTHOUGHTON gained revenge on Lancashire Knockout semi-finalists Farnworth with a resounding 92-run victory in the league on Saturday.

Farnworth knocked their Bolton League counter-parts out of the Lancs KO in the quarter-finals, but the Howfeners settled the score with a resounding win at the weekend.

Professional Qaiser Abbas made an unbeaten 128, which with the support of Mike King (26) and Mark Atherton (27) helped Westhoughton to post a total of 242-4.

Johnny Davis top scored with 47 when Farnworth came in to bat, but the superb bowling of Oliver Newby (5-46) and Abbas (3-60) had the hosts dismissed for 150.

Westhoughton skipper Rob Houghton said: “It was a good game. They have a decent deck up there so it always makes for a good game.

“Qaiser (Abbas) put on a great knock and the rest of the lads batted in small partnerships, which is what we talked about before the game.

“All of those little partnerships build up and enable us to put on a decent score.”

Westhoughton moved up to third in the table, 17 points behind leaders Farnworth Social Circle – a gap that skipper Houghton thinks will be difficult to close.

He added: “It is a big bonus to leapfrog Farnworth into third and it makes it even for them knocking us out of the Lancashire Knockout.

“Social Circle are running away with it now and will be hard to catch.

"We are going to keep looking after ourselves and need a few teams to do us a favour, but second place is a realistic target.”

Dave Mather claimed a five-wicket haul as Farnworth Social Circle recorded a routine victory against bottom club Tonge to remain at the summit.

David Tonge (64), Jake Scicluna (76), Ryan Ayres (67 not out) and Tim Barrow (34no) batted well as the Piggott Park outfit posted a total of 286-5.

Tonge bowler Syed Abid took 3-80.

Syed Shah hit 30 in reply, but the powerful bowling attack of Mather (5-57) and Ayres (3-41) proved too much and the hosts were bowled out for 133.

Little Lever got back to winning ways with a four-wicket victory over Little Hulton.

Imran Butt and Billy Schofield both made 36 as Little Hulton posted a total of 137-8.

Zafar Gohar (4-52) and Joe Rushton (4-41) did the damage with the ball.

Ayaz Hanif scored 46 and Anthony Hilton added 29 as Little Lever passed the target with six wickets down.

Adam Newton took 3-22 for Little Hulton.

Matthew Gallagher starred with the ball for Atherton as they breezed past Darcy Lever.

Brenton Parchment hit 56 and Callum Barlow scored 68 as Atherton made 176.

Darcy bowlers Scott Burns (5-73) and Toseef Hanif (3-56) did well to give their side an achievable target, but as their batsmen did their best to chase it down Gallagher took 6-36 to halt their progress.

Fellow bowlers Josh Gilluley and Parchment picked up the remaining wickets, taking a two apiece as Darcy were all out for 83.