Walkden on brink of record points haul

Walkden are on course to lift the Warburton's Bolton League title with a record number of points.

The runaway leaders are 80 points clear and with five games remaining need four wins to break the record of 423 set by Tonge last season.

They had little trouble over the weekend when they notched up another two wins including the scalp of their main rivals Westhoughton.

Walkden crushed bottom club Farnworth by five wickets before beating Westhoughton by 31 runs. At one stage they had Westhoughton at 20-6 before Marcus Atherton hit 57 to avoid a complete rout.

One record that did go was at Astley Bridge where visitors Kearsley scored 369-9 to break, by three runs, the highest total in an innings, set just three weeks previously by Farnworth Social Circle.

In the runs were David Morris 81, Steve Dublin 59 and Chris Monks 53, but their efforts were in vain as the game ended in a draw.

Greenmount were involved in two thrilling games and must be kicking themselves they could not pull off a win.

In a tense thriller at Horwich the visitors were bowled out for just 90 and were grateful of the 43 runs scored by professional Robin Morris, as David White took 7-45. In reply Horwich were tottering on 89-9 when a catch went down and Gareth Dooley was able to take the winning runs. Mark Stewart had bowled superbly to grab 8-39.

The next day they smashed 242-8 with Morris again in the runs with an unbeaten 102. They had Farnworth reeling at 149-8 before two second teamers came to their rescue. Wicketkeeper Vinny Merai and 17-year-old Atiq Khan produced a brilliant stand of 89 and needed 11 to win off the last over but missed out by just four runs.

Egerton's miserable season continued with two defeats and only half centuries by Gary Garner in both games lifted the gloom. They were hammered by nine wickets by local rivals Bradshaw on Saturday and the following day lost by three wickets to Kearsley.

WALKDEN are on course to lift the Warburton's Bolton League title with a record number of points.

The runaway leaders are 80 points clear and with five games remaining need four wins to break the record of 423 set by Tonge last season.

They had little trouble over the weekend when they notched up another two wins including the scalp of their main rival Westhoughton.

Walkden crushed bottom club Farnworth by five wickets before beating Westhoughton by 31 runs. At one stage they had Westhoughton at 20-6 before Marcus Atherton hit 57 to avoid a complete rout.

One record that did go was at Astley Bridge where visitors Kearsley scored 369-9 to break, by three runs, the highest total in an innings, set just three weeks previous by Farnworth Social Circle.

In the runs were David Morris 81, Steve Dublin 59 and Chris Monks 53, but there efforts were in vain as the game ended in a draw.

Greenmount were involved in two thrilling games and must be kicking themselves they could not pull off a win.

In a tense thriller at Horwich the visitors were bowled out for just 90 and were grateful of the 43 runs scored by professional Robin Morris, as David White took 7-45. In reply Horwich were tottering on 89-9 when a catch went down and Gareth Dooley was able to take the winning runs. Mark Stewart had bowled superbly to grab 8-39.

The next day they smashed 242-8 with Morris again in the runs with an unbeaten 102. They had Farnworth reeling at 149-8 before two second teamers came to their rescue. Wicketkeeper Vinny Merai and 17-year-old Atiq Khan produced a brilliant stand of 89 and needed 11 to win off the last over but missed out by just four runs.

Egerton's miserable season continued with two defeats and only half centuries by Gary Garner in both games lifted the gloom. They were hammered by nine wickets by local rivals Bradshaw on Saturday and the following day lost by three wickets to Kearsley.