BURY captain Karl Belston and bowler Neil Tong held their nerve to see home the Radcliffe Road men by two wickets in a low-scoring encounter at Unsworth.

Belston joined vice captain Tong at the crease with their side reeling at 118-8 in pursuit of Unsworth's total of 130.

And while it took them eight overs to eke out the 13 runs needed, the skipper was not too worried about the manner of victory.

"It was great that we managed to grind it out with vice captain and captain at the crease," said Belston.

"Sometimes it doesn't matter how you do it, you've just got to get over the line."

Strike bowler Alex Breckin tore through the Unsworth order, taking 6-35 to put Bury on the front foot.

Kevin Ramsay stuck around the longest for the home side, taking 68 balls to reach 24, but no Unsworth batsman managed to better the extras column.

However, it looked like the 31 points gifted to Unsworth by Bury could come back to haunt them as home captain and pro Chris Williams set about their order.

He removed three quick wickets to reduce the visitors to 16-3, eventually finishing with figures of 4-36, before Mohammad Jehangir put Bury back in control with 54 from 64 balls.

It looked like he would steer them home but a late fightback from Unsworth had their rivals wobbling again before Tong and Belston steadied the ship.

Bury's second victory of the campaign moved them up to ninth, while Unsworth are rooted to the foot of the table, still searching for their first win.

Greenmount are eighth following a disappointing five-wicket defeat at home to Denton West on Saturday.

The were motoring along at 72-0 in the 17th over when overseas amateur Johnathan Sammut fell for 33, triggering a batting collapse.

Opener Andy Kerr tried in vain to sure up one end as wickets tumbled at the other. But shortly after he was sent back to the pavilion for 48 they were reduced to 98-8.

Late resistance from Darron Foy (24) pushed Greenmount up to 153 all out but spells of 5-44 from Stephen Oddy and 4-32 from Hamish Dunlop left with not much of a total to defend.

And Denton West rattled off the required runs with eight overs to space.

Notable performances down the divisions included a 103-run win for Division One leaders Walshaw at home to Whalley Range. They remain unbeaten in the league after kicking off their campaign with five straight victories.

Ally Dickson (36) and Kendrick Hatton (35) led the way with the bat as Walshaw ended on 196-9 and Stephen Holt finished off Whalley Range's hope with 5-34.

Brooksbottom followed up the previous weekend's first win of the season with a 46-run victory at home to Wythenshawe in Division Two, while Edenfield Adam Barnes (53) was upstaged by all-round Brandon Diplock (92) in their 57-run victory at home to Thornham.

Diplock and Jim Flitcroft (41) put on 124 for the fourth wicket as Edenfield finished on 234-6.

Mike Cotton took 4-67 as third-placed Thornham fell well short of their target.

Radcliffe, who were soundly beat at Westleigh, remain second bottom as they continue to search for a first win in Division Two, while Brooksbottom moved up to ninth and Edenfield sixth.

Tottington St Johns edged a run fest at ELPM in Division Four West, with more than 470 runs scored in the match.

Totty opener Paul Meehan smashed 31 boundaries in his 163 from 136 balls as the visitors posted a daunting total of 264-6.

To their credit, ELPM got to within 57 runs of their target with 10 overs remaining, but ran out of wickets. Ian Wade had home pulses racing with 35 from 18 balls, but he could not stick around to match Meehan's efforts.

WALSHAW and Edenfield have both been handed away ties after making it through to the last 16 of the Derek Kay Per-Fit First XI Cup.

Division One leaders Walshaw will travel to South West Manchester, who are bottom of Division Two, after thumping Failsworth Macedonia by 127 runs in Sunday's first-round tie.

Edenfield, of Division Two, upset the odds to beat Division One side Worsley by 103 runs, setting up a trip to Clifton, who are fourth in the top tier.

Paul Gallagher hit 90 and Joe Flitcroft weighed in with 62 as Edenfield set a decent total of 193-6 and the home side never got close, bowled out for 90 following a fine display from Edenfield bowler Brandon Diplock, who took 5-40.

Elsewhere in the borough, Prestwich, who benefited from a walkover against Irlam in the last round, visit rivals Heywood in an all-Premier Division clash, while Division Two pace-setters Stand travel to the Premier's second-placed side Denton St Lawrence.

All second-round ties are due to be played on Sunday, June 26.

There are a number of notable absentees in the draw following a difficult weekend of cup action for local sides.

Greenmount fell to former Bolton League rivals Egerton, while Woodbank were edged out by two wickets at Clifton and ELPM lost by 103 runs at home to Denton West.

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Results and fixtures

Results

Friday

Archway GMCL20 Pool 3: Edenfield Eagles 116-9 Greenmount Gladiators 115-5. Greenmount Gladiators won by 35 runs.

Egerton Earthquakes 288-3 Totty Tigers 100-7. Egerton Earthquakes won by 188 runs.

Walshaw Warriors 149-4 Edgworth Fury 198-2. Edgworth Fury won by 49 runs.

Woodbank Wildboyz 186-9 Brooksbottom Bears 122-9. Woodbank Wildboyz won by 64 runs.

Pool 4: Bury Storm 214-5 East Lancs Millers 77-9. Bury Storm won by 137 runs.

Radcliffe Racers 113-6 Prestwich Heat 114-4. Prestwich won by 6 wkts.

Unsworth Draggons 152-3 Elton Rifles 125-4. Unsworth Draggons won by 27 runs.

Saturday

GMCL Premier Division: Bury 130-8 Unsworth 128. Bury won by 2 wkts.

Clifton 199-8 Prestwich 202-2. Prestwich won by 8 wkts.

Greenmount 153 Denton West 157-5. Denton West won by 5 wkts.

Division One: Elton 73 Winton 124. Winton won by 51 runs.

Roe Green 250-8 Woodbank 136-8. Roe Green won by 114 runs.

Whalley Range 92 Walshaw 196-9. Walshaw won by 103 runs.

Division Two: Brooksbottom 130 Wythenshawe 84. Brooksbottom won by 46 runs.

Edenfield 234-6 Thornham 177. Edenfield won by 57 runs.

South West Manchester 140 Stand 196-8. Stand won by 56 runs.

Westleigh 296-9 Radcliffe 93. Westleigh won by 203 runs.

Division Four West: ELPM 207 Tottington St Johns 264-6. Tottington St Johns won by 57 runs.

Elton Vale 72 Roe Green 2nds 116. Roe Green 2nds won by 46 runs.

Sunday

Derek Kay Per-Fit First XI Cup first round: Clifton 149-8 Woodbank 148. Clifton won by 2 wkts.

Egerton 202-9 Greenmount 135. Egerton won by 67 runs.

Prestwich v Irlam. Prestwich won.

Rochdale Catholic Club 145 Stand 370. Stand won by 225 runs.

Walshaw 302-3 Failsworth Macedonia 175. Walshaw won by 127 runs.

ELPM 93 Denton West 194. Denton west won by 101 runs.

Worsley 90 (B Diplock 5-40) Edenfield 193-6 (P Gallagher 90, J Flitcroft 62). Edenfield won by 103 runs.

Lancashire League: Bacup 100 Ramsbottom 231-5. Ramsbottom won by 131 runs.

Fixtures

Friday

Archway GMCL20 Pool 4: Elton Rifles v Radcliffe Racers.

Saturday

GMCL Premier Division: Bury v Clifton, Heywood v Greenmount, Prestwich v Denton St Lawrence, Unsworth v Flixton.

Division One: Walshaw v Bamford Fieldhouse, Woodbank v Elton.

Division Two: Brooksbottom v Denton, Radcliffe v Edenfield, Wythenshawe v Stand.

Division Four West: Elton 2ndXI v Elton Vale, Roe Green 2nd XI v ELPM, Tottington St Johns v Worsley 2nd XI.

Sunday

Lancashire League: Ramsbottom v Haslingden.