WESTHOUGHTON bowler Paul Hart took an incredible hat-trick against high-flying Bradshaw but it was not enough to avoid a home defeat to the title chasers.

Hart’s triple came with the last three balls of the Bradshaw innings and each wicket was clean bowled.

But by that time, in-form Bradshaw professional Saeed Anwar Jnr had led the charge to a high total of 228-8.

Anwar Jnr scored a superb 149 from as many deliveries and shared a 120-run second-wicket partnership with Anthony Harris (41).

He then went on to be the mainstay of another 50 partnership with Sam Hardman.

The Howfeners started slowly in the run chase and struggled to 67-5.

But a sixth-wicket partnership of 112 between Ian Pilkington, top scorer with 53, and Rob Brown (48 not out) took them closer to their target before Pilkington fell late on and the chase fell short at 181-6.

Steve Foster did the main damage with the ball for Bradshaw taking 5-73 from his 22 overs as the visitors won by 47 runs to keep the pressure on leaders Little Lever.

The table-toppers had a straight-forward victory by seven wickets at Walkden but were left to rue a late third wicket that cost them a bonus point in their batting response.

Visitors Walkden opened the game but were restricted to just 113 thanks to tight Little Lever bowling from pro Kamran Younis (4-50), Rakeb Mahmood (3-37) and Curtis Anderton (3-17).

Rafal Afridi did his best with the bat to score 44 but it looked like a total Little Lever would have few problems chasing. And Younis led the way with 53 runs, supported by Andy Worden (26) as the hosts reached 114-3.

But they lost that extra point with the third wicket falling and it was frustrating considering it happened with the score on 112 and just two runs required for victory.

The best bowler for Walkden was Liam Jackson who returned 2-48.

The teams in third and fourth going into the double-header weekend, Egerton and Farnworth, both lost ground with away defeats.

Champions Farnworth slumped to a six-wicket defeat at Horwich.

After winning the toss, they batted first but could only reach 105 all out with Nakash Qamar (23), Anwar Ul-Haq (22) and pro Adil Nisar (16) the only run scorers of any note.

Adam Street took 4-64 from 19 overs but deputy professional Brett Pelser went one better with 5-36.

The South African, who is the pro at Rawtenstall Cricket Club in the Lancashire League, then came in at number four in the reply and ended with 48no as Horwich ended the day on 106-4.

Phil Cavill also ended unbeaten on 28, while the wickets were shared between Victor Walcott (2-26) and Nisar (2-88).

Meanwhile, Egerton batted with more success in their chase at Astley Bridge but fell short by 26 runs.

Steve Shepley made 60 for the hosts as they reached 212-7 - a score kept down by pro Amal Athulathmudali who took 3-27 from five overs.

The Egerton reply saw Keith Hornby top score with 59 but again it was a fine bowling display from pro Syd de Silva that tipped it in Astley Bridge’s favour.

He took 6-43 from 14 overs to take his tally of wickets in the last three matches to 17 and also notch a second six-wicket haul in successive weekends.

***

IN-FORM Tonge continued their mini revival with a second successive win to leapfrog Eagley at the foot of the Bolton League table.

In the basement battle on Saturday, Tonge won by 11 runs thanks to a century from professional Ali Azmat and stunning bowling figures of 8-54 from Neil Tong.

Batting first, Tonge amassed 233-5 with Azmat (102no) supported by Patrick Hamer (29).

In reply, Eagley began sluggishly and had lost two wickets with just four runs on the board.

Captain Ross Brown steadied the ship somewhat for a weakened Eagley side without the services of Mike Ward or Craig Massey. He scored 29 runs but Tong’s efforts with the ball from 24 overs saw the visitors skittled out for 122 as Tonge hauled themselves off the bottom.

At the other end of the league, Farnworth Social Circle moved up to third ahead of yesterday’s fixtures after an 83-run home win over Kearsley.

Josh Bohannon top scored with 57no, while opener Tim Reece (44) and skipper Matt Parkinson (35) provided good support as Social Circle posted 207-5.

Kearsley pro Devon Conway took 2-61 from 18 overs while Rick Parker weighed in with 2-30 from nine.

Scott Mather (35no) and Steve Parker (20) were the only batsmen in the runs in reply as Kearsley ended all out on 124 after 45.1 overs.

Dave Mather was the Social Circle star with 6-50 from 22 overs while Bohannon also returned 3-24 on a good day personally for him.

Elsewhere, Greenmount won by seven wickets at Heaton after a rain delay resulted in a revised target.

Heaton had posted 182-4 batting first with Imran Mirza the top scorer with 84no and Phil Heaton taking 3-74.

Greenmount pro Asif Zakir hit 56no while Ryan Senior was 54no as the visitors reached their revised target to end on 170-3.

 

SATURDAY RESULTS

Astley Bridge 212-7, Egerton 186. Astley Bridge won by 26 runs.
Eagley 122, Tonge 233-5. Tonge won by 111 runs.
Farnworth SC 207-5, Kearsley 124. Farnworth SC won by 83 runs.
Heaton 182-4, Greenmount 170-3*. Greenmount won by 7 wkts.
Horwich 106-4, Farnworth 105. Horwich won by 6 wkts.
Little Lever 114-3, Walkden 113. Little Lever won by 7 wkts.
Westhoughton 181-6, Bradshaw 228-8. Bradshaw won by 47 runs
(* revised target)