LITTLE Lever got their season off the mark on Saturday by beating the Bolton Association’s early pace-setters Astley Bridge.

Mohammed Adnan Khan – otherwise known as BK – starred with the ball, bowling 6-58 as the Sharples Park side were bowled out for 108.

Professional Adil Nisar also impressed with the ball, taking 3-41.

Rain repeatedly interrupted the second innings and Little Lever skipper Joshua Gent was offered a draw when it showed no sign of slowing up.

But the decision to keep playing paid dividends when Nisar turned his hand to the bat to score 37 not out as the Victory Road side secured their first win of the campaign with seven wickets to spare.

“It was a good win,” said Little Lever captain Gent. “We had a bad start to the season with two rain-affected games which we fell on the wrong side of.

“We were missing our front-line bowler Curtis Anderton so before the game I was thinking ‘we’re a bit short on the bowling front here.’

“But credit to BK, he stepped up and delivered the goods. He ripped them apart and they had no answer to him.

“It shows how good he was that I decided to take our pro who also bowled okay, off the bowling to let BK have the 25 overs.”

Little Lever had struggled and suffered losses in their opening two games of the season but Gent is confident his squad will now kick on after getting their first win on the board.

He added: “We have copped a couple of losses but did ourselves some good on Saturday.

“Astley Bridge were top of the league and are a good side. Before the season started I would have thought it would be, other than ourselves, them challenging for the title.

“We fell two wins behind with a poor start but it’s only early doors so we can still challenge for the title.”