IT was an afternoon to forget for Leigh CC's bowlers at Sefton Park as the home side's opening batsmen ran riot.

With five regular members of their side missing, Leigh's bowling resources were again stretched and they faced an uphill struggle to contain two batsmen in top form on an excellent batting wicket.

Lancashire player Paul Horton (123) and Ben Moore (119 not out) became the first opening batsmen to each score a century in partnership as they set a new ECB Premier League record of 240 for the first wicket.

When the stand was finally broken by Luke Pomersbach, who bowled Horton, Indian star Robin Morris came in to smash 26 not out off 14 balls enabling Sefton to declare at a massive total of 274 for 1 off 51 overs. Adam Roussak opened the bowling and conceded only 14 runs off his 7 overs and Pomersbach again worked hard as he took 1 for 56.

Left with 62 overs to bat, Leigh made the worst possible start losing Gareth Cross and Steve Williams to the last two balls of the first over bowled by Dave Poskitt.

This had no effect on Pomersbach who scored 45 off 45 balls including three fours off consecutive balls bowled by Stuart Wade before he was adjudged to have been caught at slip. Neil Williams, again promoted to open the batting, played a classical innings mixing watchful defence with immaculate strokeplay and was unluckily given out after an appeal for a bat pad catch having scored 41.

With victory now well beyond Leigh's expectations, Aaron O'Connor showed dogged determination to score a fine 33 and young Kieran Grundy, who scored 19, batted with great confidence to once again suggest that he has a big future at first team level.

Emergency selections Michael Bond (17) and Peter Taylor (19) came together with the score at 147 for 7 with 18 overs left and used all their experience to frustrate the home side with some eminently sensible batting. Their partnership was worth 40 with four overs to go when Taylor was finally dismissed.

These two batsmen had successfully weathered the pressure applied by the home side which included a long succession of histrionic appeals with several dropped catches adding to Sefton's frustration.

Their captain Howard Parker, whose first spell of left arm spin bowling had left him wicketless after nine overs, switched ends and finally had some of his appeals endorsed by a more compliant umpire. He finished with 5 for 51, ending Leigh's brave resistance with ten balls of the innings remaining and having his bowling figures boosted by some debatable decisions.

Leigh were all out for 195 after a fine but ultimately unsuccessful rearguard action with their batsmen having shown great determination in attempting to avoid defeat.