RADCLIFFE celebrated a great win double at the weekend with a 78-run victory at Heywood in the league followed by cup success over Werneth.

On Saturday, looking to get back on track following last weekend's double setback, Radcliffe took first knock and with Keegan replacing Cruse in the openers, both got off to a solid start.

With the score on 36, Keegan gave a soft catch to Wallwork. Soon after, with the score on 44, Heaton followed his opening partner back to the pavilion in exactly the same way and Radcliffe looked a little unsteady.

A partnership of 44 between Cruse and Dearden took the score to 88 before the former was caught on the boundary. Radcliffe's captain, Simpson, then joined the professional and they set about the home attack with some brutality taking the score to 151. With overs running out, Radcliffe upped the run rate but lost wickets at regular intervals and finished on a respectable 205 for nine with Dearden top-scoring with 63, well supported by his skipper on 42. Heywood's reply started well with Kaye and Arnold not looking to be in too much trouble until Dearden cleaned up Arnold with the score on 26. This brought the Heywood-paid man to the crease but he never got to grips with Radcliffe's tight bowling. Shah then got in on the act having Kaye caught at square leg and then clean bowling Louw, and the writing was on the wall for the Crimble outfit. Only Wright with 27 offered any sort of resistance but Holt brought his stubborn rearguard to an end and Heywood were bowled out 78 runs short of their target. Shah, the pick of the bowlers, finished with fine figures of five for 52 off 23 overs.

On Sunday, Werneth were at the Racecourse for the first round of the Wood Cup. The visitors won the toss and bowled first on a warm, but cloudy day. The boys from Oldham didn't have long to wait for their opening wicket, Keegan caught behind off the bowling of Holmes. Enter the ever-unpredictable Dearden, but having scored a half century the previous day, the Radcliffe pro was high on confidence. Dearden and Heaton put on exactly 50 before Heaton fell to the young spinner, Durose. The fall of that wicket did not stop Dearden from playing attacking shots, and with Cruse supporting well, these two carried the score along to 143, a stand of 82, before Dearden fell with his score on 82. Simpson and Cruse continued the assault with another partnership over 50. Cruse ended up on 66 and Simpson on 24 and a final total of 213 for eight.

Ainsworth and Fink got Werneth off to a slow start with only 23 on the board after 12 overs. In the 13th over, Ainsworth hit the ball to Cruse close in on the off-side and Fink, backing off too far, was spectacularly run out. Ainsworth was well caught at slip by Kennedy, leaving the away side rocking on 25 for two. However, a mini revival in the middle order, led by opposing professional, Fernando (36), Errook (19), and Gill (23), took the score to 108 for five and the hosts looked hot favourites, but the always-chatty Lees was proving a thorn in Radcliffe's side. A couple more wickets and run-out in between some lusty boundaries, and a healthy crowd were biting their nails. Then came the most vital catch of the game with Cruse holding on to a well struck shot and Lees was heading back to the dressing rooms, for once speechless. The last wicket summed up Radcliffe's day -- a superb stumping by the ever-youthful MacAuley capped an impeccable display by a hard-working side.