RADCLIFFE'S two cricket teams got off to losing starts in their Greater Manchester League Division Two campaigns.

Radcliffe went down to Oldham by 109 runs, while East Lancashire Paper Mill lost by seven wickets at Westleigh.

The two sides are in different sections with Radcliffe in Division Two B and ELPM in Division Two A.

Michael Farley, captain of Radcliffe, said his side did not do themselves justice and expects to see better performances as they settle into the season.

"We took the defeat with a pinch of salt as we are a better team than the performance we put in and we will improve in the coming weeks," he said.

"We decided to bowl first on what looked like a challenging pitch.

"They amassed 205 and we were all out for less than 100."

"We very rusty due to the weather conditions that have blighted our preparations for the season.

"As for some of the players it was the first time they had chance to actually play outside this season.

"Because of that, the game was littered with mistakes that are normally resolved in pre-season games."

It was also pretty one-way stuff in Leigh where ELPM were all out for 103 and the home side reached their target with seven wickets remaining.

ELPM captain Paul Hewart admitted he did not expect his side to be beaten so resoundingly.

"It was a bit of a wake-up call," he said.

"But equally on another day we feel we could easily have competed.

"With the weather as it has been it was the first time we had been outside with none of the lads getting any chance of batting or bowling on grass since the end of last season.

"But it was good to get the game on.

"I unfortunately lost the toss on a very green wicket and we got inserted to bat

"Martyn Coates then went first ball for a diamond duck and probably had the indignity of being the first wicket of the GMCL season.

"We were all out for 103 in approximately 24 overs with only a few making it into the late teens.

"Westleigh showed us how to bat without taking much risk.

"Matthew Smalley got one wicket along with Gavin Greaves and Matthew Partington.

"We've got Elton at home this week which will be tough as they are probably my favourites to gain promotion from Division Two this year."