Flying start for Walkden Cricket Club

10:13am Wednesday 24th October 2007

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THE new Farnworth winter season started on Sunday.

There are several new names in the league, some because the teams have changed their names, but four of the 12 teams are new to the league.

BYP Ladies is the new name for Hanson and the two teams had mixed fortunes.

The B team went down by 29 runs to last season's joint champions Adlington who, although losing a tight second innings, essentially won the game in the first innings.

The BYP Ladies A team beat Dave's Minibus, but the newcomers, who were in Section N in the summer, were delighted with their performance against experienced opposition and considered a narrow 18-run defeat an excellent performance.

Last season's joint champions were FSCCC and now play as The Grapes. They expected to start where they left off and anticipated victory, but they lost to Capital by just one run (160-159 after several recounts).

The victors were listed as Capital, but the team included four players from Walkden CC B who went through the summer unbeaten and picked up trophies for their league section and two cups. The side also included four from Bradbury, Section C runners-up in the summer.

Another new team, Wallys Eleven, were runners-up in the bottom section in the summer and came up against Applejax (seven sections higher) and although they lost by 46 runs, they were well pleased with their introduction to the league.

Elton Vale have been a top team in Bury rounders in recent years and field several teams throughout that league.

With no winter rounders in Bury, they have joined the Farnworth League to keep their hands (and eyes) in during the winter.

Their introduction was a successful one as they beat Blades Barbers by 43 runs. Leading by just 11 after the first innings, they raised their game in the second innings for a comfortable win.

The remaining game involved two teams from Little Lever. After a disastrous first season in the summer, the Cricket Club C team is aiming to use the winter to hone their skill, aided by some of the club's more experienced players.

Their opponents, Little Lever AFC (Hardy Hall), are more used to the style of play where each player has to bowl three good balls before all the fielders change positions and this helped them to victory by 32 runs.

The Eagley Winter League has also started with six teams in action. Darcy Blues who had a successful summer campaign, scraped a one-run win against Royal Bolton Hospital.

Redgate Ladies had a wonderful 69-run win over Davies XI who played four sections above them in the summer, but there is reason to believe that Davies did not field the team which played in Section A. Eagley Pike's 45-run win in the other game is a reflection of the seven section difference in their respective summer positions.

RESULTS Farnworth League: Capital 160 The Grapes 159; Dave's Minibus 136 BYP Ladies A 154; Little Lever CC 127 Little Lever AFC 159; Wally's Eleven 100 Applejax 146; Blades Barbers 144 Elton Vale 187; BYP Ladies B 143 Adlington 172.

Eagley League: Darcy Blues 122 Royal Bolton Hospital 121; CBA XI 97 Eagley Pike Ladies 142; Redgate Ladies 186 Davies XI 117.