WOODBANK put in a late burst to clinch a two-wicket win at home to Bury on the penultimate ball of their innings.

The Greater Manchester League Premier Division showdown was in the balance after the visitors posted 202-8 from their 50 overs.

Alex Breckin looked well set to make a decisive score before being run out for 69, while Mukhtar Nasir also added an unbeaten 37 for Bury.

The same two players had an impact with the ball as well, Nasir taking 3-42 and Breckin 2-53.

But while Woodbank were never able to break loose in their reply, they just about managed to stay in touch with the run-rate.

Ryan Barker (41) and Chris Read (32) played an integral role, helping to move the home side along in the middle order. When Barker was finally out with four overs remaining, Woodbank were eight wickets down and 31 runs short of their target.

But 20 from 18 balls from Domanic Gowers and Nick Haynes’ 13 from 11 saw them home.

Bury captain Karl Belston said: “Fair play to Domanic at the end, coming in and hitting those runs, which basically snatched victory away from us.

“I felt Alex Breckin and Mukhtar Nasir, who are both homegrown players, were head and shoulders above everyone else on the day, and it was a shame they could not finish on the winning side.

“They helped put us in the box seat but we were just not quite able to get over the line.

“Credit to Woodbank, though, who played their part in a really exciting game and were great hosts in what was an enjoyable day – other than the result.”

Spare a thought for Walshaw’s overseas amateur Dylan Blignaut, who somehow ended up on the losing side despite scoring an unbeaten 139 off 133 balls against Roe Green.

The South African came in at number four with Walshaw wobbling at 31-2, but after steadying the innings he let loose, scoring 16 fours and seven sixes.

The home side finished on 235-6 but were unable to defend their total.

Roe Green eventually made it over the line with five balls and five wickets to spare.

“It should have been our first win of the season,” said Walshaw manager Mike Mills.

“It was a great game of cricket that swung both ways. We were struggling when Dylan came in but he produced one of the finest knocks I have ever seen, and I have been in cricket a long time.

“More than 100 of his runs came from boundaries, it was quite something to see.

“Fair play to Roe Green, they took the match to the wire, but they should not have been allowed back into it.

“We just had a couple of bad overs near the end of their innings that swung it back in their favour.”

Justin Kenyon and Oliver McMahon both scored half centuries for Roe Green, but when they were dismissed it looked like Walshaw would be celebrating their first win since earning promotion to the Premier Division.

Stephen Holt put them in a winning position with 3-65 but Luke Williams’ 33 from 24 balls after coming in at number six prised victory from the jaws of defeat for Roe Green.

GREENMOUNT are one of three teams with 100 per cent records still intact after the third round of matches in Division One of the Greater Manchester League.

The Brandlesholme Road outfit’s latest win came at previously unbeaten Denton.

It was far from being a formality after the visitors struggled to chase down their target of 180 to win.

They managed it with plenty of balls to spare – 37 – but only two wickets remaining.

Skipper Phil Heaton led by example with the ball, taking 5-45, while pro Kaustub Pawar took responsibility with the bat, finishing unbeaten on 82.

After opening partner Saad Khan was trapped lbw for 23, no-one else was able to add much more to the score, but Pawar didn’t need any help to keep up the Greenmount momentum.

Unsworth won their opening game of the campaign but have since been beaten by top two Woodhouses and Heywood. After losing heavily at leaders Woodhouses, they put up a better fist of it at Heywood on Saturday before falling 37 runs short.

A century from Heywood opener Andy Kerr gave Unsworth a mountain to climb. And while they scored quickly in their reply, opener Leighton Friend’s 49 was the best individual score.

Simon Dawson ensured wickets tumbled with frequent regularity, taking 6-70 and also weighing in with a run-out.

Brooksbottom and Elton both suffered heavy defeats against teams in the top four of Division Two, but Edenfield continue to mix it with the big boys. They made it three wins out of three in fine style, claiming a 10-wicket victory at home to Wythenshawe.

Paul Gallagher took 5-23 and Fred Nixon 4-51 as the visitors were bowled out for 123.

Gallagher also scored an unbeaten 52, while fellow opener Adam Barnes hit 64 from 63 balls as Edenfield passed their target in 20 overs.

Mohammed Sajid produced a fine individual display to help Elton Vale inflict a first defeat of the season on Whalley Range second XI in Division Three.

After taking 3-46, backed up by two wickets apiece from Qaisar Iqbal and Mohammed Aslam, he guided Vale past their 158-run target with an unbeaten 58.

Simon Marsh finished with figures of 5-29 from 14 overs as Tottington St Johns continued their winning start to the Division Four West campaign.

Brett Collins hit 40 and Rick Carr 36 in a decent team batting display that saw all but three players make it into double figures as Tottington posted 194-8 from their 45 overs.

Marsh then led the way in a similarly composed bowling performance, which ended with Winton second XI falling well short on 151-9.

Results

Saturday

GMCL Premier Division: Walshaw 235-6 Roe Green 236-5, Roe Green won by 5 wkts.

Woodbank 204-8 Bury 202-8, Woodbank won by 2 wkts.

Division One: Denton 179 Greenmount 180-8, Greenmount won by 2 wkts.

Heywood 241-6 Unsworth 204, Heywood won by 37 runs.

Division Two: Brooksbottom 75 Swinton Moorside 79-3, Swinton Moorside won by 7 wkts.

Droylsden 176-5 Elton 89, Droylsden won by 87 runs.

Edenfield 125-0 Wythenshawe 123, Edenfield won by 10 wkts.

Division Three: Radcliffe 127 Clifton 2nd XI 203-6, Clifton won by 76 runs.

Whalley Range 2nd XI 158 Elton Vale 160-5, Elton Vale won by 5 wkts.

Division Four West: ELPM 117-3 Blackley 114, ELPM won by 7 wkts.

Winton 2nd XI 151-9 Tottington St Johns 194-8, TSJ won by 43 runs.

Lancashire League: Ramsbottom 135 Todmorden 136-2, Todmorden won by 8 wkts.

Sunday

Worsley Cup first round: Bacup 170 Ramsbottom 215, Ramsbottom won by 45 runs.

Fixtures

Saturday

GMCL Premier Division: Bamford Fieldhouse v Walshaw, Bury v Egerton, Glossop v Woodbank.

Division One: Greenmount v Edgworth, Unsworth v Stand.

Division Two: Astley & Tyldesley v Elton, South West Manchester v Edenfield, Wythenshawe v Brooksbottom.

Division Three: Deane & Derby v Radcliffe, Elton Vale v Swinton Moorside 2nd XI.

Division Four West: Elton 2nd XI v ELPM, Tottington St Johns v Blackley.