A GLORIOUS weekend for Unsworth Cricket Club saw them go second in the Central Lancashire League table and progress into the next round of the Inter League Club Challenge.

On Sunday at the Crimble, Dion Taljard made his first appearance of the season for the Pole Lane club and was immediately in the thick of things.

Opening the Unsworth attack with fellow South African Alan Badenhorst they restricted Heywood to just eight runs off six overs.

Taljard then bowled opener Arnold for three, and not to be outdone, Badenhorst, a former Heywood pro, bowled Cross (2) with Heywood on 18-2.

That quickly became 46-4, as Shaw (8) and Walwick (0) were sent packing back to the pavilion.

Heywood's current pro, another South African Johan Botha, was joined by Wilkinson and the pair put on 53 before Wilkinson was run out with the score on 99.

The Heywood tail then dug in and a number of small but useful stands (encouraged by 30 extras) took the total to 165 all out.

Unsworth fancied their chances on a decent track and chasing an achievable target.

However, an inspired opening spell by Botha saw the visitors struggle to 36-3, as JP Hean (9), Paul Manley (2) and Graeme Jones (5) were sent packing.

But a revival saw the Unsworth batters able to rotate the strike well enough for pro Robbie MacQueen to accumulate 91 not out, with Badenhorst (7), Taljard (17) and Jones (10) all chipping in.

It all came down to the final over, with Unsworth on 157 and therefore needing nine to win, with Botha facing new batsman, Jon Wiggans.

A single off the first four balls left the visitors requiring five runs off the two remaining deliveries.

A quick double made that three needed off the last ball and Botha steamed in to let rip.

But Wiggans got a slight nick off the bat and sent the ball between the wicket-keeper's legs and off to the boundary to give Unsworth five points and a four wicket victory.

On Saturday at the Horsfield, Lancashire League side Colne made a bright start to this Inter League Club Challenge first round game, reaching 37 before Wilson went for 25, four runs later Ali's wicket (for 13) meant Colne were 41-2.

A stand of 68 between Hunt (43) and Wilson ((31) pushed the score along to 109, before Wilson fell as the first victim of Martin McBurnie (5-34).

After that the wickets fell in quick succession as Colne appeared to simply give up, finishing on 178-8 off their allotted 45 overs, McBurnie assisted by Badenhorst (1-34), MacQueen (1-34) and Wiggans (1-41).

In reply Unsworth, missing four regular players, had their batting line-up shortened even further by a sudden illness to club captain Paul Entwistle, with a call to 18-year-old Michael Beaumont resulting in him dashing up the motorway to take his place.

Manley promoted himself up the order to open with Beaumont, and with the score on 27 Beaumont (9) fell lbw to Clark.

This brought MacQueen to the wicket and Manley (75no) in tandem with the pro (61) took the score to 139, before MacQueen became Rimmer's only victim.

This left Badenhorst (15no) to help guide the visitors to their required total of 179 with four overs to spare.