ATHERTON CC got back to something like their best when playing out a rain affected draw at Walshaw on Saturday before winning a tight contest against Edgworth the following day.

After losing the toss, Atherton found themselves fielding first at Walshaw. Mihir Diwakar and Ian Nuttall restricted the home side to just 27 from the first 10 overs when Nuttall had Rob Faulkner caught by Phil Wakefield. After a further 10 overs pro Jonathon Fielding was bowled by David Baines to make it 78-2.

Three wickets fell in quick succession, all to Diwakar, and when Nuttall took his second the home side was perilously placed at 133-6. But a seventh wicket stand of 51 by Danny Hornby and Alan Caunce saw the home side close on 200-9.

There were three late wickets for skipper Paul Brown and a stunning catch for both Karl Brown and Paul Walsh.

On a true track and with a fast outfield, the visitors fancied their chances but rain during the interval meant that when play resumed their allocation of overs had been reduced to 30. After 19 of these further rain put an end to the match with the score standing at 78-3.

There were runs for Phil West (47 no), and Diwaka (19 no).

The following day Brown lost his second successive toss and Atherton found themselves fielding first again.

Edgworth openers Fahim Ahmed and Mike Davies found scoring difficult against the accuracy of Diwakar and Nuttall. It was the 20th over before the 50 came up and the first wicket did not fall until the 29th when, with the total on 73, Davies was well caught by skipper Brown off the bowling of Paul Walsh.

Ahmed went on to top score with 69 before becoming one of Diwakar's three victims.

The only other Edgworth batsman to get into double figures was Nigel Barlow who was unbeaten on 26 as the innings laboured to a close at 148-6.

Diwakar's three wickets came from 18 overs at a cost of 51 while Walsh took 2-35 and Nuttall 1-35.

The Atherton reply was again taken up by Karl Brown and Paul Keenan but they were soon parted when Brown was caught for one. Phil West joined Keenan and the pair put on a top partnership of 72.

Keenan made 29 before falling to an athletic slip catch, allowing Wakefield to join West. West scored freely and it was a surprise when he fell for 49 to 16-years-old Tom Liversedge.

Diwakar and Paul Walsh quickly departed and things looked wobbly at 106-5 but David Marsh joined Wakefield and the pair saws their side to victory with an unbroken stand of 43. Wakefield finished on 28 and Marsh 17.

This weekend Atherton are away at league leaders Little Hulton on Saturday while facing Clifton at Higham Park in the semi-final of the Cross Cup on Sunday.