WALSHAW captain Mikey Watt believes the new Greater Manchester League is bringing the best out of his players after they recorded their second bonus-point win in two matches.

The Sycamore Road men maintained their 100 per cent start to the Division One season with a 63-run victory at home to Dukinfield, moving to second in the table behind Roe Green, who they play on Saturday.

“The opening two games have been more competitive cricket than we have played in a long time and we are loving it,” said Watt. “It seems apparent the standard is very strong, but from the results we have had it has clearly brought the best out of my players.

“So as a team we are really enjoying it.”

Openers Jamie Pilling (27) and Saif Bhojani (60) gave Walshaw a flying start before the Walshaw innings stuttered.

But Kendrick Hatton came in at number nine and pushed their total along to 227 with six boundaries in his quick-fire 44.

Jake Fenton eventually bowled the tail-ender to add to his figures of 5-62.

Two early wickets from Stephen Holt, who removed both Dukinfield openers cheaply, put the visitors on the back foot. But they rallied well, as Chirag Khurana (26) and James McDougall threatened to take the game away from Walshaw.

However, a match-turning spell of fast bowling from Ryan Tazelaar stopped Dukinfield in their tracks. His 5-66 proved to be decisive as Walshaw bowled out their opponents for 164 with almost 10 overs remaining.

“There was a great ebb and flow to the game,” added Watt. “We batted really well before their bowlers pegged us back and had us at something like 125-6. But we bat all the way down to number 11 and Kendrick came in and turned the game.

“They still batted well, but we kept chipping away with wickets at key times and Ryan bowled well for his fifer.”

Walshaw’s neighbours Woodbank are third, adding to their tally on Saturday with a 10-run victory at home to Woodhouses.

Gavin Nichol hit a 126-ball century for Woodbank, finishing 100 not out as they posted a competitive total of 269-3 from their 50 overs. John Whitehead kept him company for longest, scoring 76 on a difficult day for the Woodhouses bowlers.

But the visitors’ Nick Hardman (109) and Alex Spender (58) put on 140 for the fourth wicket to push them towards their total.

Steve Dearden (3-51) eventually broke their partnership, while star batsman Nichol (2-38) ended Hardman’s fine innings, and Woodhouses lost five wickets in the final four overs as they stumbled to 259-8.

Elton failed to make it a hat-trick of local wins in Division One, bowling out Bamford Fieldhouse for 127 after Gareth Edwards took 4-21, before slumping to 59 all out.

Radcliffe and Brooksbottom continue to look for their first wins of the season in Division Two.

Radcliffe are bottom after losing by eight wickets at home to Stretford, while Brooksbottom lost at unbeaten Thornham.

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.