A DOMINANT second-innings performance gave Bolton victory in the first inter-league game of the season.

The local over-45s team came back from 94-89 down after the first innings to beat their local rivals 219-187 at Little Lever Cricket Club on Friday.

Bolton made a good start with all 11 batters surviving the first round, although Lorraine Monks failed to score, which she also did third and fourth time round.

But she made the Bury team regret letting her off the hook by going on to become Bolton’s top scorer and last batter, including scoring a rounder in her tally of 18.

After six rounds, Bolton were down to two batters, but Monks and Sue Taylor stuck in for another six rounds before Taylor was denned after scoring a single to finish on 16 and her last stand partner was between bases.

Joanne Holden scored Bolton’s only other rounder and finished with a dozen runs while Lee Holt also finished with 10 to give the home side 89 for the innings.

In Bury's reply, Sharon Warren opened with a two, followed by three from Helen Zannitt, but two of the remaining batters were caught out and two dismissed at first base.

Helen Zannitt was top scorer with 23, including a rounder, having escaped with no score second time round, and Elaine Waters scored 18, including a rounder when the ball hit the referee and evaded the fielder at second base.

Cath Bentley rode her luck on several occasions to finish with 17 as one of the last pair, taking the visitors' total to 94 and a lead of five runs.

Ten Bolton batters scored first time round in the second innings, including three twos and three threes, and four batters hit rounders on their second bat. Although Mandy Eckersley only batted five times, she scored three consecutive rounders to finish joint top scorer with 22, equalled by last batter Christine Ayres.

Without managing a rounder, Ann Truffas scored 18 in her second innings. The denned pair of Chris Ayres (22) and Holden (19) both scored a rounder as the home side added 130 to their score.

Bury made a positive start to their second innings including three threes and a couple of twos on the first round, but they lost two batters, one caught and one at first base.

Bolton did a reasonable containing job throughout the innings, but Waters scored two rounders and two threes to be top scorer with 20 before being caught out.

The junior teams meet at Bolton Cricket Club on Friday.

The last week has seen some remarkably high scoring, both as team totals and individual efforts, but one match which stands out was in Section N between Silver Birch Ladies and Tonge Fold XI where 626 runs were scored.

Dina Lowe scored 100 for Tonge Fold, 54 in the first innings and 46 in the second, Kath Slater added 58 and Catherine Glen 45.

But, despite their remarkable performances, their team still lost.

Kirsten Taylor scored 72 for Silver Birch in the first innings, Paula Walsh adding 43 and Lauren Jones 40 to put them 103 ahead at half time.

Although Tonge Fold scored 142 in their second innings, forcing their opponents to bat again, Silver Birch declared at 9.30pm when 30 runs ahead.