IT all seemed little more than a formality as Tonge, for the second year running, travelled to Piggott Park in search of the League Championship. Three points were all that were required and in view of the fact that only once in their last 77 matches had Tonge failed to achieve that modest target, they appeared to be virtually home and dry.

But cricket has a nasty habit of reducing confident would-be champions into nervous wrecks, and the visiting players and supporters had a fair bit of sea-sickness to contend with before the good ship 'Castle Hill' sailed into calmer waters!

Ideally Tonge would have wanted to bowl first on a wicket that contained a fair amount of life in an effort to clinch the title by knocking over Circle's first seven batsmen.

But Iain Hill won the toss and within minutes of the start it was 3 for 2. and shortly afterwards 15 for 3 with Hallows, Botha, and, somewhat unluckily, Simon Anderton, all having fallen to Kevin Darlington.

The West Indian professional is probably the League's quickest bowler at the moment and, coming uphill, he was causing all sorts of problems, extracting bounce and movement from the wicket as Ian Taylor looked on enviously!

Jim Aspden seemed a little fortunate to survive two massive appeals on 19 for 3, firstly when he appeared to have gloved the ball to short-leg, and secondly for a caught-behind, but he and Rick Northrop gradually and temporarily eased the jitters, adding an important 69 for the fourth wicket. Northrop in particular batted with huge responsibility, defending calmly, selecting his attacking shots sensibly, and rarely missing out when the chance offered itself. But Darlington was not to be denied.

In the mid-80's he disposed of Aspden, Northrop and Sikander, and when Waller became his seventh victim, thoughts of all-ten couldn't have been far from his mind.

These thoughts, however, were blown away with the senseless run out (what other kind are there?) of Kirkpatrick, and now, at 98 for 8, Tonge were once again, if not exactly staring defeat in the face, at least too close to it for comfort!

It was at this point that the game, and indeed, the season and the championship race, entered it's most crucial phase.

Mark Martin had come in at number 8, and he it was who, almost single-handedly, took the match by the scruff of the neck, and put Tonge, once and for all, back in charge of their own destiny. Whilst he was at the wicket, 54 runs were added, of which he contributed 51 with a series of defiant, aggressive blows, each one a nail in Circle's coffin, and also, unbeknownst to them three miles away, in that of Westhoughton. In all he hit four 4's and, five glorious 6's, and when the innings came to an end at 141, the odds against anything other than a Tonge championship had lengthened so considerably that no-one in their right mind would have taken them.

It was Martin's first senior half-century and it had added a whole new meaning to the expression 'choosing the moment.'

Two rain intervals had meant that Circle were unlikely to have enough overs at their disposal to win the game, and so it was to prove.

I was surprised that Ian Taylor didn't follow in Darlington's footsteps at the livelier of the two ends, but then again, I never was much of a captain! Frost was caught behind in Taylor's opening over, the first of four victims for the excellent Northrop.

Davies and Hope held Tonge at bay for a while, adding 49 for the second wicket, but when Hope, who had played well for his 35, was taken by Sikander in the gully, it heralded a clatter of wickets that could probably be heard all the way to Little Lever.

Six wickets fell for just 19 runs and when the dust had settled Ian Taylor had taken 5 for 35 from the wrong end, whilst Iqbal had bowled six maidens and taken two further wickets at the other. The game tottered on for a few more meaningless minutes in ever-increasing gloom and in spite of Taylor having been relieved by Kirkpatrick the umpires rightly decided that enough was enough and the celebrations could begin.

It was a moment to savour for skipper Simon Anderton, manager Ray Eccleshare, and Mr.Tonge himself, Frank Baldwin. It was, too, a superb way for John Bailey to celebrate his 'coming-of-age' after 21 years as Club President.

Four consecutive league championships. Knighthoods have been offered for less! Man-of-the-Match. MARK Martin, whose innings was, at one and the same time, the most entertaining of the day, and the one that put Tonge back firmly on track when the wheels had momentarily threatened to come off. Moan of the Match. AS last year, the final day's weather, although this year, thankfully, it didn't really have quite the same impact on the eventual outcome. Magic Moment. RICK Northrop's fine catch which dismissed Chris Barrow, clinched the third bonus point, and so wrapped up the championship.

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