LEIGH CC made a disastrous start to their game at Sefton Park, losing their first five wickets for only 38 runs on a decent looking wicket.

The home side's pace attack of Whelan and Poskett proved a real handful and only Gareth Cross of the early order batsmen was able to make any headway.

He eventually found a willing partner in Ronnie Davis and when the opening bowlers were taken off these two set about bringing some respectability to the Leigh innings.

They gradually regained the initiative and their partnership had taken the score to 107 when Cross was dismissed. He scored a characteristically aggressive 71 off 77 balls including 11 fours and 2 sixes before being out to a good running catch by Whelan at long off when attempting one big hit too many.

Davis was seventh out with the score on 131 caught behind off Whelan who had returned for a second spell. Neil Williams soon followed after scoring a defiant 17 and Whelan, who signed for Middlesex last season, proved to be just too quick for the tailenders as Leigh were dismissed for 158 and finished with 5 for 40.

Leigh had an early success after tea when the ever improving Greg Jennings trapped Moore lbw with his first ball. Liam Zammit then picked up the important wicket of Indian star Vinayak Mane, who averages just under 40 for Mumbai in first class matches, when he mistimed a sweep and was caught at midwicket.

With Sefton Park struggling at 33 for 2, their skipper Paul Horton showed just why he has been signed up by Lancashire as he took control and guided his side to an apparently comfortable winning position at 131 for 4 with plenty overs left.

The persistent visiting bowlers then struck back and Zammit and Jennings initiated a collapse that saw the home side in trouble at 139 for 8. Horton was still there, however, during a fascinating period of play in which he had been fed singles so that the bowlers had the opportunity to bowl at the lower order batsmen.

Unfortunately for Leigh, the home side squeezed home after several near misses, to win the game with two wickets to spare and the outstanding Horton was undefeated on 89 after batting for over three hours. He showed great composure and his innings included 14 immaculately struck fours as he won the game for his side almost single handed.

Leigh's bowlers once again perfomed well with Zammit taking 3 for 47 off 20 overs, Jennings 2 for 26 off 12 and Melia 1 for 19 off 9, but the lack of consistency of their exciting batting line-up was again evident and a major factor in this defeat.