DAMIAN Stringer put a trying morning – and a bad back – behind him to inspire Woodbank’s win at Woodhouses.

The bowler arrived late after attending to his father, who had suffered a fall at home, but cast his woes aside with a seven-wicket spell to see Woodbank to a 111-run victory.

Put in to bat, Woodbank managed to put on 240-6 from their 50 overs, thanks primarily to Gavin Nichol’s 91 from 90 balls and support from Steve Dearden, Ryan Barker and Dominic Gowers.

Stringer then took charge as Woodhouses looked to chase that down, finishing with figures of 7-51 as the home team were dismissed for 129.

“It was a really good result for us, considering our defeat to Worsley the week before,” said Woodbank captain Anthony Harris. “ That was a bit of a wake-up call, we just hadn’t played in that game and so we knew we had to win, ugly or otherwise, to keep up the pressure on the teams around us.

“We got a score on the board, with Gav’s 91 and support from a few others. Steve and Ryan did well and Dom Gowers ran them stupid with ones and twos. We knew if someone got a big score we would be setting a score of 200-plus.

“They have chased us down before though, and their captain tends to score big against us so we know they’re no pushover but our bowling attack is unplayable at the moment.”

Leading that attack was Stringer, who continued to turn his arm over despite tweaking his back while out in the field. He dismissed that prize wicket, seeing captain Nick Hardman for four and catching out top-scorer Asad Ali off his own bowling for 42.

“At 79-2 with about 12 gone they were still well in the game,” said Harris. “Damian bowled brilliantly though. His dad had had a fall in the morning but thankfully he was okay, but that meant Damian arrived late to the game, and when he hurt his back we had to keep him going – partly because he was continuing to take wickets, but also because he would probably have seized up if he’d stopped!”

The win keeps Woodbank in the promotion hunt, as they remain in the top four, five points clear of Dukinfield.

Woodbank could not add a GMCL Archway T20 win to Saturday’s success, being beaten by Heywood in Sunday’s semi-final.

Nichol again led the batting, hitting 53 not out in Woodbank’s 150-8, but Heywood progressed with a four-wicket win but would later lose in the final to Clifton.

Woodbank’s next outing sees them back in league action, as they face third-bottom Astley and Tyldesley this weekend.

Despite their lowly standing Harris is desperate for another strong performance, otherwise they could be on the end of a defeat that perhaps would not shock the rest of the league.

“We know they are no pushover,” he added. “They have players that can take the game away from you, so we have to play each match as if it is a cup final. We are still fourth and still playing with confidence so, providing the weather stays good promotion is our main focus.

“It is a close league and the standard is really good so we’ll have to be on our game to get there.”

Another bowler taking seven scalps was East Lancs Paper Mills’ Matty Partington.

He conceded just 24 runs in his haul against Egerton second XI, seeing his team to an 85-run win.

ELPM had earlier put on 195-9 with Danny Willett hitting 40 and Gav Greaves an unbeaten 79 before Egerton were bowled out for 110.