THE sun finally shone on the GMCL at the weekend, but there was little else for our three local sides to cheer in the Premier Division as they suffered away defeats.

Greenmount were tied up by spin at former Bolton League rivals Egerton, while Bury fell to a five-wicket defeat at Denton West and Unsworth were 83 runs short of their target at Edgworth.

There was plenty to brighten local grounds further down the GMCL, however, as Ian Wade hit 188 not out from 77 balls in ELPM’s crushing 240-run victory at home to Egerton seconds and Elton Vale beat Worsley seconds by eight wickets.

Greenmount lost a vital toss at last season’s Bolton League champions, but four wickets each for Mark Stewart (4-37) and Phil Heaton (4-31) helped bowl out their hosts for 194. The total, boosted by half centuries for Sandun Weerakkody (62) and Daniel Partington (50), proved out of reach for the Brandlesholme Road men once Egerton’s twin spin attack of Tom Fairclough (5-31) and captain Will Halton (3-33) put a stranglehold on the game.

Greenmount were eventually bowled out for 111 with seven overs left.

Bury pro Mohammed Jamal was left at the crease on 48 not out as only opener Mumtaz Mirza (23) provided any resistance to the Denton West bowlers at the opposite end.

Karl Belston’s men were bowled out for 114, and while Sura Malinga (2-36) and Mohammed Jehangir (2-24) managed to chip away at the home side, their total was just too small to protect.

Edgworth’s Ankeet Bawane and Adam Sydall took centre stage in their victory at home to Unsworth. Pro Chris Williams gave the visitors a decent start with 4-43 before Bawane crashed 115 in 92 balls in Edgworth’s total of 225-8.

Sydall then ripped through the Unsworth order with 6-33 to reduce them to 76-9.

Last two Ben Eckton (27no) and Liam Richards (33) at least made a game of it, doubling the team’s score with a 10th wicket stand of 76.

If victories were hard to come by in the Premier Division, ELPM and Elton Vale made it look easy in Division Four West.

ELPM openers Mark Robinson (52) and Danny Willett (35) put on 87 for the first wicket before Wade demolished the Egerton attack.

“Who needs the IPL?” said captain Paul Hewart, who sat back and marvelled as Wade hit 21 sixes in his unbeaten 188, which took ELPM to 366-5.

Steve Keyworth then took 4-28, while every one of the ELPM bowlers took a wicket as Egerton were dismissed for 126.

Ali Shah took 5-25 as Elton Vale made light work of Worsley seconds, reducing them to 117-9, before breezing past their target in just 17.2 overs.

Mohammed Sajid hit an unbeaten 54 from just 47 balls, while Zeeshan Anwar supported with 37 from 32.

GMCL results

Saturday

Premier Division: Denton West 115-5 Bury 114. Denton West won by 5 wkts.

Edgworth 225-8 Unsworth 142. Edgworth won by 83 runs.

Egerton 194 Greenmount 111. Egerton won by 83 runs.

Heywood 117 Prestwich 121-1. Prestwich won by 9 wkts.

Division One: Bamford Fieldhouse 127 Elton 59. Bamford Fieldhouse won by 68 runs.

Walshaw 227 Dukinfield 164. Walshaw won by 63 runs.

Woodbank 269-3 Woodhouses 259-8. Woodbank won by 10 runs.

Division Two: Radcliffe 109 Stretford 111-2. Stretford won by 8 wkts.

Stand 201-5 Westleigh 200-6. Stand won by 5 wkts.

Thornham 182-3 Brooksbottom 181. Thornham won by 7 wkts.

Division Four West: ELPM 366-5 Egerton 2nds 126. ELPM won by 240 runs.

Tottington St John 183-8 Walshaw 2nd 234. Walshaw 2nds won by 51 runs.

Worsley 2nd 117-9 Elton Vale 118-2. Elton Vale won by 8 wkts.

GMCL fixtures

Saturday

Premier Division: Bury v Heywood, Greenmount v Flixton, Unsworth v Prestwich.

Division One: Astley and Tyldesley v Woodbank, Elton v Swinton Moorside, Roe Green v Walshaw.

Division Two: Edenfield v Stand, Brooksbottom v Radcliffe.

Division Four West: ELPM v Worsley 2nds, Elton Vale v Bury 2nds, Winton 2nds v Tottington St Johns.

Sunday

Derek Kay 1st XI Per-Fit Cup preliminary round: Brooksbottom v Glossop, Elton Vale v Egerton, Heywood v Elton, Littleborough Lakeside v Tottington St Johns, Prestwich v Radcliffe, South West Manchester v Bury, Stand v Wythenshawe, Stretford v Walshaw, Winton v Greenmount, Woodbank v Roe Green, Worsley v Unsworth.