TORRENTIAL rain washed out the full cricket programmes in both the Bolton Cricket League and Bolton Association on Saturday, with all 16 matches falling foul of the weather.

While no result was possible, seven matches did at least get started.

Only two of those were in the Bolton League, where leaders Farnworth Social Circle did their best to force an outcome. The early pacesetters, who lost the toss at home to Astley Bridge and were put into bat, raced away to 105-1 before rain finally stopped play.

Opener David Tonge was caught off the bowling of David Cryer for just one run before Tim Rees (59 not out) and pro Rameez Alam (38 no) endeavoured to set a target, but their effort was ended by the rain after 20 overs.

Reigning champions Little Lever were the only other side in the Bolton League to make it to the crease, putting on 15-1 at Horwich before the heavens opened.

The match between Greenmount and Walkden was abandoned and there was no play in any of the other games at Egerton, Farnworth, Heaton and Westhoughton, with all teams being awarded two points for the draw.

Walshaw and Elton had to wait until 3.07pm to get their local derby fixture underway in the Bolton Association but the match only lasted 11 overs.

Elton had reached 18-2 with Danny Hornby and Stephen Old both taking a wicket apiece for Walshaw.

High-flying Flixton battled valiantly to try to take the lead at the top of the table but in the end they were undone by the weather.

Aiden Fetherston’s side were determined not to relinquish their 100 per cent start to the season.

Batting first, they made 162-2 in their 29.3 overs.

Alton Beckford top-scored with an unbeaten 65 while Stuart Lang chipped in with 42.

When play resumed, Golborne reached 19 after 3.2 overs with Kieran Vesey top scoring on 13 before a third rain stoppage proved to be the final straw.

Also determined to have something to show for their Saturday were Edgworth and Daisy Hill.

There were 18 overs of action with Mark Atherton hitting 45 as Daisy Hill reached 105-4 while Edgworth’s Gareth Williams took 2-40.

After a couple of breaks it was decided at 6pm that they were not going to get an outcome because of heavy rain.

Darcy Lever’s match with Worsley was called off after 16 overs, which saw Nick Fawcett score 34 and Rashid Yousef add 14 to take Darcy Lever to 59-1. Himesh Silva took the only wicket.

Atherton tried in vain to open their league account at Blackrod.

Paul Walsh’s side made an early breakthrough, Rason Primus taking the wicket of Joey Pryle for 10 but that was as good as it got as play ended after six overs with Blackrod on 23-1.

Elsewhere, there was no play possible in Astley & Tyldesley’s trip to Bury, Winton’s match with Adlington or Lostock’s game with Little Hulton.

In the Central Lancashire League on Saturday, Unsworth’s trip to Monton & Weaste and Radcliffe’s home game with Middleton were both cancelled, as was Unsworth’s match at home to Radcliffe on Sunday.