A SUMMER of local cricket began on Good Friday with reigning Bolton League champions Horwich playing a Bolton League Invitation XI.
Batting first, Horwich scored 205-5, with overseas player James Enslin hitting 97.
Enslin and Brett Pelser (33) put on 102, with the pick of the Bolton bowlers being Dan Higham with 3-21.
The Bolton team reached 98-1 thanks to 47 from Chesney Hughes and 38 from Rob Brown, but from 160-4, they lost their last six wickets for 27 runs leaving Horwich victors by 18 runs, Sam Little taking 4-39.
In other friendly matches over the weekend, a century from Jameel Stuart helped Farnworth Social Circle defeat Woodbank, and Westhoughton’s 14-run win against Staley was based on a half century from Marlon Welcome-Goodman and 41 not out from Jamie Bates.
However, 46 from Joe Settle and 38 for Higham could not prevent Farnworth slipping to at six-wicket defeat to St Annes.
The season starts in earnest at 1pm on Saturday with the following fixtures:- Atherton v Farnworth, Eagley v Farnworth SC, Horwich v Astley Bridge, Kearsley v Little Hulton, Little Lever v Lostock, Tonge v Walkden, Westhoughton v Blackrod.
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