LOSTOCK could not mark the long-awaited opening of their new ground with a victory.

After nine years of playing home games in Haydock and one year of playing on neutral venues or away from home, Lostock are finally back in Bolton.

Their impressive venue hosted Westhoughton on its big day and the local visitors rained on the home side’s parade somewhat by inflicting a 24-run defeat in the first round of games in Group C of the Peter Stafford Trophy.

Westhoughton were going well at 70-1 in the first innings before Lostock’s bowlers took over and made the score 77-5.

Westhoughton have no shortage of depth, however, and excellent work by 16-year-old Jordan Higham (38) and Charlie Honour (31), with Kieran Edwards helping to hold things together, saw Westhoughton post 181.

David Flanagan took 4-65 and Rob Holgate 5-58 for Lostock.

At 124-2 Lostock looked well on their way to victory, with ex-Westhoughton player Matt Trow top-scoring with 63 against his old club.

But momentum swung the visitors’ way after Lostock lost two wickets without scoring.

Qaiser Abbas took 5-73 off 23 overs and Edwards completed a good all-round display with 4-36 and the last seven Lostock batsmen made 10 runs between them.

Westhoughton captain Rob Houghton believes it was his side’s strong batting line-up which ultimately won them the game.

“That bit of extra depth we have made the difference,” he said.

“Jordan, Charlie and Kieran did really well for us to take the score on and put us in a position we were happy with.

“They batted tentatively and didn’t take risks but the longer the game went on the more they had to take risks.

“It’s always hard chasing, there’s that extra pressure that builds, and with Qaiser, Kieron and Rob (Brown) all bowling really well, to win the game they were always going to have to take risks.”

Houghton said it was an honour that Lostock’s first game was against Westhoughton, who presented their hosts with a special glass plaque to mark the occasion.

“We couldn’t be more proud to have played the first game against them on their fantastic ground,” he said.

“They are a great set of people, and the glass was just a little gesture to commemorate the first game.

“You can’t have a second first game, so it was just something we wanted to do.

“Hopefully in 30 years’ time when the next young kid is thinking about playing for Lostock he’ll see it and ask his dad what it means.

“It’s just one of the little things you can do that brings cricket together.”

Lostock president David Kaye, who estimated the number of spectators at 200, was overwhelmed by the success of the opening day of the ground.

He said: “It’s like a dream, like it’s not really happening.

“The people who have worked so hard to make this ground reality deserve knighthoods, and Phil Knowles (the club chairman) deserves a peerage.”

In the other Group C game Daisy Hill won by four wickets at Golborne.

Tim Halliday scored 63 and Jake Waterworth 59 as Golborne posted 221-7.

Suri Varsani took 5-51 for Daisy who reached their target with an over remaining.

Shahid Mahboob and Lewis Clarke both took three wickets for the home side, but the star of the second innings was Daisy’s Sam Pendlebury who scored 89 not out.

HORWICH and Blackrod got off to flying starts in Group A of the Peter Stafford Trophy with convincing away victories over Heaton and Darcy Lever, respectively.

Horwich had Dean Morris and pro Brett Pelser, at three and four, to thank for building up a total of 261-8 which Heaton fell short of by 157 runs.

Pelser scored 107 and new signing Morris fell just short of a half century, with four batsmen chipping in with handy scores late on to turn the screw.

Mohammed Irfan took 4-51 for the home side, who never got going with the bat. Four batsmen reached the teens as Horwich bowlers Liam Bones took 4-14 and Lewis Haydock 3-12.

Tushendra de Zoysa starred with a century in Blackrod’s 73-run win at Darcy Lever.

Mark Glover scored 58 and captain Joey Pryle 36 as the visitors built up a total that proved out of Darcy’s reach.

The best the home side could offer with the bat came from number three Nick Fawcett (24) and John Bayliss (33) and Dominic Gavin (28) late on.

Joe Speak was in outstanding form with the ball for Blackrod, taking 6-39 while De Zoysa completed his memorable day with 2-17.

Bradshaw continued to be a difficult opponent for Farnworth Social Circle with a six-wicket victory at Piggott Street in Group B.

Social posted 175 with opener and captain Tim Barrow top scoring with 55.

Stuart Hornby took 3-28 for Bradshaw and then scored 46 opening for the visitors.

Pro Sachithra Serasinghe added 47 not out as Bradshaw had their second impressive victory under new team manager Steve Liversedge.

Atherton’s new overseas player Dave Tantsis-Hall made an instant impression in his side’s two-wicket win in the other Group B game.

The opener scored 77 as his side passed Astley Bridge’s 208-9.

Yasir Rashid top scored with 43 as home side Bridge built up the score late on.

Josh Gilluley took 4-83 for Atherton and Bridge captain David Cryer went one better with 5-82 but it was not enough to deny Atherton.

KEARSLEY captain Grant Cordin was delighted with his side’s batting as they beat Farnworth on the opening day of the Bolton League season.

Chasing 208-9, the home side made no mistakes in hitting the target with seven wickets in hand in Group E of the Peter Stafford Trophy.

Sub-pro Ernest Kemm led the way with a superb unbeaten 92, with new signing Cameron Murray scoring 71.

“The batting was flawless,” said Cordin. “There was only an over and a bit to go but we were never chasing the game.

“We batted steady and we were always on top of the chase.”

On Kemm, who plays for Bacup, he said: “You are always taking a gamble when you get a sub-pro but he played very well. He’s a good ‘un. He batted very well and so did Cameron.

“In the first innings we dropped a couple of catches and had a misfield but it’s early season and you’re never going to get everything right straightaway.

“We did okay. They got about 230 on their ground last week and still lost so we were happy chasing 208.”

Imran Mirza scored 83 of Farnworth’s total before becoming one of Kemm’s three victims with the ball.

Mo Jameel also took three wickets and new signing Dave Mather the other two in a typically long bowling stint of 22 overs.

In the other Group E game Little Hulton beat Little Lever by 60 runs at home. Pro Fida Hussain produced a superb all-round performance with 62 runs and 7-39.

Waqar Khan, who came in one in front of Hussain at number three, scored a half century as Little Hulton took control of the game early on.

Little Lever came back into it as the last seven batsmen scored 51 runs between them, Curtis Anderton and pro Adil Nisar taking three wickets each.

Nisar scored 23 but the rest of the Little Lever batsmen capitulated apart from Anderton, who showed magnificent resistance at number eight with a superb 79.

Walkden and Adlington began their Group D campaigns with wins.

Walkden beat Eagley by 94 runs at home while Adlington won by five wickets in a low-scoring game at Tonge.

Walkden’s numbers five, six and seven – Rafal Afridi, Sayed Shah and captain Jonathan Fowler – scored 61, 53 and 34, respectively, as the home side posted 260. Eagley’s Silva turned in a magnificent all-round performance with 7-76 and then 77 runs before becoming one of Tahir Maqsood’s six victims.

Majid Majeed’s class was too much for Tonge as the Adlington pro took 6-17 then scored an unbeaten 32.

Tonge’s batting let them down as no one was able to stay at the crease for long, Adam Rodzoch the only player to reach double figures as they posted 49.

Saturday’s results

Darcy Lever 181 Blackrod 254-4, Blackrod won by 73 runs.

Farnworth SC 175-9 Bradshaw 177-4, Bradshaw won by 6 wkts.

Astley Bridge 208-9 Atherton 209-8, Atherton won by 2 wkts.

Lostock 157 Westhoughton 181, Westhoughton won by 24 runs.

Golborne 221-7 Daisy Hill 225-6, Daisy Hill won by 4 wkts.

Heaton 104 Horwich 261-8. Horwich won by 162 runs.

Walkden 260 Eagley 166, Walkden won by 94 runs.

Tonge 49 Adlington 53-5, Adlington won by 5 wkts.

Farnworth 208-9 Kearsley 211-3, Kearsley won by 7 wkts.

Little Hulton 192 Little Lever 132, Little Hulton won by 60 runs.