FOR Leigh CC it has been a tale of the good and the bad...

The bad came on Saturday with a disastrous day in the field at Bootle.

Three spilled chances in the first seven overs left the home side off the hook, and, growing in confidence, they smacked 86 for the first wicket on their way to a declaration at 183-5, Banner (3-43) and Potter (2-66) taking the wickets.

Leigh then stuttered and stumbled in reply, although Greg Dimery made a determined 29, Steve Bailey hit 19 and skipper Dave Dove fell three short of his half-century.

The latter half of the innings came under the heading "Collapse" as Leigh fell short at 160 all out.

A week earlier it was all good with Dimery the hero with both bat and ball as Leigh beat Chester Boughton Hall in a match of swashbuckling stroke play.

Leigh set off at lightning pace, 50 coming off the first five overs with Bailey hitting 28 from 17 balls.

Dove took up the gauntlet, smacking 75 glorious runs before edging one to the keeper.

And Dimery just kept on going, finally defeated at 110. A late onslaught from Tim McKiernan, who amazingly hit 26 from just 12 balls, led to the declaration at 253-3.

The game looked Leigh's with Dave Potter and Dimery reducing Chester to 60-4, but Queenslander Geoff Foley kept his side in touch with a marvellous 109.

A draw looked on the cards until Dimery stepped up to bowl out the last man.

On Saturday Leigh entertain Oxton at Beech Walk.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.