DAVID Cryer hailed the best win he has ever been involved in with Astley Bridge’s first team after producing a stunning Hamer Cup upset against Premiership title challengers Walkden.

The Sharples Park captain helped his side to an 81-run away success with 25 and then 3-28, booking their place in round two.

Astley Bridge, who posted 202-8 before bowling Walkden out for 121, were one of two Association-versus-Premiership winners, with Little Lever hammering Lostock by nine wickets.

Astley Bridge are currently top of the Association, so are going well, as are Walkden who are second in the top flight.

Krishnan Patel was their hero with 52 and 4-13, and Cryer said: “I could not be happier with the win.

“To beat a team as good as they are, in the form they’re in, at their ground with a team that has an average age of 22 is insane!

“I’ve played 11 years in the first team here, and that is easily the best win I’ve ever been a part of.

“We’re not going to get too giddy, but we’ll enjoy this.

“Our sub pro (South African Marques Ackerman from Shaw CC) got a duck and one wicket, so to get contributions from everyone was brilliant.

“We were also missing three key players from our regular side.”

Little Lever secured a thumping nine-wicket home victory over Lostock, who were bowled out for just 120.

All five bowlers took two wickets – Curtis Anderson, overseas amateur Ruan van der Merwe, pro Adil Nisar, Josh Hill and Andrew Worden.

Openers Anthony Hilton and Dane Hargreaves then led the chase with 41 and 43 respectively.

“It was a good win, especially against a Premiership side,” said captain Josh Gent, whose side are in the Association’s promotion shake-up.

“We’ve had a difficult last two league games. Last week, we played Blackrod at home. They got 218 and we were 160-1 chasing and got beat.

“We’ve thrown that game away. On Saturday, we got absolutely hammered by Golborne.

“We were under-prepared, weary and tired in the field. We just weren’t good enough.

“But we bounced back well on Sunday and hammered them (Lostock).

“Dane, our wicketkeeper, opened the batting, but he hasn’t played for two weeks. I said ‘go on, open’, and he smashed it to all parts.

“In the cup, the first 10 overs of the game are mandatory power play, and you can only have three fielders out.

“We just told Dane, who’s that type of player, to go in and smash it. It was made for him.

“He took their pro on and boomed him to all parts of the ground.

“It’s certainly a confidence-builder for us having just had those two defeats.

“After Saturday, everyone was a bit down in the dumps wondering what we’d done wrong.

“But we had a chat before the game, and I said ‘even if we don’t win, the attitude has got to pick up’.

“And the lads replied to that in emphatic style.”

Little Lever and Astley Bridge join Sunday’s other winners Bradshaw, Kearsley, Atherton, Farnworth, Farnworth Social Circle and Horwich in the second round.