QAISER Abbas starred with the bat as Westhoughton progressed to the quarter-final of the Hamer Cup with a dramatic win against Blackrod.

The Vicarage Road side opened the batting with a respectable score of 196-8 – Joe Pryle (41) and Thushendra De Zoysa (69) scoring high.

And Westhoughton were struggling to find a reply when on 66-5.

But Abbas batted from fourth right to the death, defying the fine bowling of Matt Readey (3-37) and De Zoysa (3-22), to hit the final run needed with only one wicket to spare as he finished unbeaten on 96.

Horwich beat Golborne with Dean Morris (83), Brett Pelser (47) and Marcus Haydock (47) all batting well as Horwich ran up a total of 321-5.

Liam Bones then bowled a six-wicket haul for 38 runs as Golborne were dismissed for 83.

Scott Howarth and Phil Dickinson shared the honours with the ball as Bradshaw recorded the easiest of victories against Daisy Hill.

Howarth bowled 6-10 and Dickinson 4-17 as the St James Street side were dismissed for just 28.

Darcy Cotter (11not out) and Chris Evans (9no) saw off the target for Bradshaw without a wicket falling.

The only Bolton Association side left in the cup, Astley Bridge, comfortably saw off the challenge of Darcy Lever.

The Sharples Park side bowled their hosts out for 172 – Chris Fenn, Dominic Gavin and Scott Burns all struck 33 with the bat.

In reply, Soyab Taylor and Syd De Silva scored 60 and 58, respectively, as Astley Bridge saw off the target with eight wickets to spare.

Raheel Majeed scored a century as Heaton dumped Atherton out of the last 16.

Skipper Gary Garner also hit 40 as the Lower Pools side posted a target of 270-8.

Ian Nuttall was the only bowler of note taking 3-51. David Tantsis-Hall opened the second innings with a knock of 30 but with little back-up, Atherton were dismissed 148 runs short, Ahmed Matloob (3-35) and Majeed (3-29) doing the damage with the ball.

Farnworth Social Circle progressed by defeating Adlington at home.

Wicketkeeper Jake O’Bryne opened the batting with a score of 37 before Ryan Ayres added 76 to post a total of 157-8.

Ayres then bowled 3-20 when he turned his hand to the ball, bettered only by Andrew Brooks who took 4-35 as Adlington were bowled out for 70.

Walkden progressed to the final eight with a comfortable victory at Farnworth.

Sub professional Akbar Ur Rehman top scored with 79 as The Oval side were bowled out for 204.

But Farnworth fell for a mere 59 in reply as Tahir Maqsood headed up a fine bowling attack with figures of 3-5.

Eagley beat Kearsley to progress.

Michael Ward hit 65 of Eagley’s 195 total as they were bowled out. Dave Mather, Grant Cordin and Darren Whittle took three wickets apiece.

Whittle then knocked 39 with the bat but Will Shuttleworth, Agha Salman and Adil Valli each took three wickets as the Springfield Road side were dismissed for 166.

Results

Bradshaw 29-0, Daisy Hill 28. Bradshaw won by 10 wkts.

Darcy Lever 172, Astley Bridge 173-2. Astley Bridge won by 8 wkts.

Farnworth 59, Walkden 204. Walkden won by 145 runs.

Kearsley 165, Eagley 195. Eagley won by 30 runs.

Atherton 122, Heaton 270-8. Heaton won by 148 runs.

Adlington 70, Farnworth Social Circle 157-8. Farnworth Social Circle won by 87 runs.

Blackrod 196-8, Westhoughton 197-9. Westhoughton won by 1 wkt.

Horwich 321-5, Golborne 83-9. Horwich won by 238 runs.