FARNWORTH'S season just gets better and better.
They consolidated their place at the top with an 83-run success at Egerton after bowling out the home side for 129.
That came after they had set up the win with total of 212, Tim Barrow hitting 54 and Falgun Patel 46, while home pro Deeraj Jadhav finished with bowling figures of 5-40.
The Farnworth bowlers then made an aggressive start, and although Paul Stafford (26) and Nigel Hallows (24) did their best to keep Egerton in the game, the Barrow boys quickly settled the issue. Chris Barrow went on to take 4-30, while brother Tim had 3-25.
Farnworth SC produced a solid all-round team performance to emerge three-wicket winners at Horwich.
They built the foundation on their win by a bowling performance that left Horwich 177 all out. Top wicket-taker was pro Kurt Wilkinson with 4-36, while Horwich's only response of any note came from Nick Woods (43) and Ashley Williams (34).
Dean Eckersley then set-up Circle's reply of 181-7 with 47 from Dean Eckersley, along with 35 not out from Christian Walsh.
Pro Adil Nisar and captain Simon Anderton made valuable contributions to Tonge's three-wicket win over Little Lever.
Nisar collected seven wickets for 84 runs leaving Little Lever 171 all out before Anderton hit an unbeaten 93 in Tonge's 172-7.
Two opening century partnerships were the highlight of Eagley's drawn game with Westhoughton.
The match began with the Westhoughton openers Steve Parker and Ian Pilkington putting on 138. Pilkington eventually went for 61, but Parker
went on to hit 80 to provide his side with a solid base that eventually helped them to a handsome 266-8.
Eagley pro Mike O'Rourke finished with best figures of 5-91 before playing a part in his side's encouraging reply.
He scored 61 and his opening partner Chris Lord added 44 in a partnership of 107, but any hopes of threatening the Westhoughton total vanished as three wickets fell on 119, Rick Parker producing an astonishing spell that brought him three wickets for four runs from five overs.
He eventually finished on 3-29 but number three bat Jon Conlan provided stubborn resistance before he was ninth out with a valuable 51, although Eagley were still able to force the draw at 197-9.
Bradshaw also had a century opening stand in their thrilling draw against Kearsley.
Mike Ward hit a superb 105, while Ryan Tierney chalked up his first senior half century in a partnership of 144.
That enabled Bradshaw to reach 265-7, but Kearsley made a brave bid to match the total.
Chris McDonald top scored with 49 and most of the batsmen provided good scores but in the end, the 15 runs they needed from the last over was too much for them and they finished five runs short at 261-7.
Walkden made quick work of Astley Bridge after bowling them out for a meagre 90.
The bowling partnership of Bernard Reidy and Lee Jackson did the damage. Jackson had impressive figures of 5-20, while Reidy took two wickets for four runs off nine overs.
Walkden then took only 22 overs to knock off the runs for their nine wicket win, David Smith top scoring with an unbeaten 58.
Greenmount had a comfortable nine-wicket win at Heaton after they bowled out the home side for 105.
Pro Nishit Shetty was their man of the match taking 5-26 before hitting an unbeaten 46 and Andy Kerr was 40 not out in their 106-1 response.
For Heaton, Gareth Carson scored 33.
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