DEFENDING champions Westhoughton got off to an winning start as their defence of the Bolton League Second XI Premiership got under way.

Farnworth were the visitors to St George's Oval and they could find no answer to the bowling of young Mason McKenna, who spun his way through their batting line-up to record excellent figures of 6-12.

Chris Leyland backed him up well with 3-20 as Farnworth slumped to just 61 all out with just Charlie McLellan reaching double figures.

Mike King and Jamie McAndrew made light work of the target to secure an eight-wicket win.

Runners-up Farnworth Social Circle also got off to a winning start with a 122-run victory against Heaton at Piggott Street.

Batting first, they were again given a fast start by Tim Barrow who made a run-a-ball 50. Michael Daley added a rapid 52, and, with Christian Walsh, Steve French and Liam Ashworth all making 30 or more, they built up a score of 248. Sur Varsani, with 4-59, and Charlie Unsworth (3-40) did their best to stem the tide.

Heaton's reply was very much a lone effort as Robin Isted hit an unbeaten 72, but with nobody else reaching double figures they managed just 126. Joshua Roscoe (4-50) and Andrew Brooks (3-34) did the damage for Circle.

Bradshaw started their season off with a hard-fought three-wicket win against Kearsley at Springfield Road.

Chasing 177 they found themselves deep in trouble at 24-5 before Ryan Tierney (46) and George Booth added 77 to get them back on track.

An unbroken stand of 58 between Liam Needham and Ian Ross secured the win despite Grant Cordin taking 4-27. Cordin had earlier made a useful 29 which, together with 69 from Jordan Thornley and 34 from Jack Scott, had helped them total 176 as Booth took 4-46 and Ross 3-36.

Ady Cooper led Astley Bridge to an impressive 201-8 in their game against Little Hulton, hitting a splendid 104 off 121 balls to dominate the innings as Mehr Khan was next highest scorer on 21.

Four run-outs undermined their innings – two of them from Brian Kelly who also took 2-47.

Khan then stepped up with the ball, taking 3-21, as the Little Hulton reply was restricted to 104 with Shaun Lomas' 18 the highest of five double-figure efforts.

The final game in the Premiership between Darcy Lever and Horwich RMI was a victim of the weather.

In the Association Division, Atherton won the toss and asked Lostock to bat and must have been regretting it as a century stand between Asghar Ali (52) and Sam Barlow (51) took them to 123-1.

However the introduction of Tony Gredecki changed all that in a superb spell of 7-38 as nine wickets tumbled for a further 44 runs, as only Will Berry (22) was able to make an impact after that.

David Baines backed up Gredecki with 3-21 as Lostock made 167.

The home batsmen soon found themselves struggling, particularly after the introduction of Darren Parr who grabbed 5-16 as only Sam and Reece Roberts managed double figures in a disappointing 68 all out.

Daisy Hill travelled to Castle Hill and came away with a fairly comfortable 67-run win against hosts Tonge.

Daisy went in first and got a good start through Mike Leeming (31) and Nathan Blair, who added 71 for the first wicket.

Blair went on to make 60 and, with some useful support down the order, helped his side to 170-6 as Mohshin Khan took 3-43.

Mayank Patel soon had them on the back foot with three quick wickets on his way to 4-31 and Tonge struggled to just 91 in reply, Wayne Cook top-scoring with 26.

Steady contributions right down the order from Eagley, led by 34 from Jack Phillips, saw them build a pretty useful score of 190 batting first against Walkden.

Harry Birchall, Jon Birchall and Jason Craig all made scores in the 20s, while both Stephen Thomasson and Mike Southerland grabbed three wickets for Walkden.

A steady-looking start led by Kash Lalji and Mo Razzaq looked like making a game of it, but the introduction of James Fallows and Jack Phillips changed the innings completely. Fallows took 5-23 and Phillips 3-18 as Walkden collapsed to 80 all out and a 110-run defeat.

Blackrod were unable to raise a side to play Golborne and had to concede their game, while the day's final clash at Little Lever against Adlington was abandoned due to a waterlogged pitch.