THIS week’s Intermediate inter-league game at Farnworth Social Circle Cricket Club saw an expectant crowd start to gather a good hour before the game started.

But a poor performance from the home team saw Bolton slip 2-1 behind Bury in the series, courtesy of a heavy defeat. losing by an innings and eight runs.

The game started with Bolton taking up their bats and were soon watching skipper Jen Fairclough caught out without scoring.

Little Lever’s Mim Dargan managed a rounder with the first ball she faced, which turned out to be one of only two scored by the home side, the other by Helen Lewarne on her way to eight points.

Only Dargan, with 12, and WMB’s Becky Bluer, with eight, were still in on the fourth round of batting and both failed to get another bat.

With a team score of 50, 13 of which were bad balls from Bury, the home side knew they needed a decent performance in the field.

Bury’s Jo Rector opened with a rounder and went on to bat 10 times, including two rounders and four threes, for an innings score of 29.

Also proving difficult to put out were Deanna McDougall, who faced the bowlers 11 times including a rounder and a two in her score of 17, and Laura Kelly, who helped herself to a rounder, a couple of threes and a two for a total of 19. The team’s only other rounder came from Beth Rector who scored 14.

Losing 123-50 at half time, Bolton made three changes to try and shake things up a bit. A couple of rounders each for Dargan and Little Lever team-mate Olivia Hill saw them score 19 and 17 respectively. Darcy Lever A’s Nicola Mitchell-Yorke managed a creditable 14 and substitute Aleaha Coldray of WMB eight.

The side’s only other scorer was Fairclough with two, meaning six players had failed to score.

Bolton did not manage to catch Bury’s 123 so lost 123(I)-115.

During the week, the second round of the cup competition saw teams divided into four three-section groups.

Sections A, B and C play for the Chadwick Cup, those in Sections D, E and F the Dixon Shield, while Section G, H and I teams play for the Blackburn Shield and J, K and L teams contest the Pike Shield.

The remaining trophy has teams from Section M.

In the Horwich Shield, with matches to be played week commencing June 18, JHB Warriors will be playing Blackrod CC, The Y-Nots face TLC Ladies, Green Gazelles play Hilltops XI and JHB Warriors A will be up against Little Lever Juniors.

The draw for the rest of the fixtures will be made by the match secretary once all the results are in.

The next inter-league game will be played on Friday at Darcy Lever Cricket Club, and sees the Senior (open-age) team who will be looking to even up the series with a victory over their Bury counterparts.

The following week’s match sees the Golden Girls play the last of the series’ home games.