IT was a classic case of ‘After The Lord Mayor’s Show’ for Greenmount’s first eleven on Sunday as they followed up their convincing derby victory over Ramsbottom last week with a heavy seven-wicket defeat at the hands of Walsden at Scott Street.
Any visiting supporters hoping to see further green shoots of progress following the opening day defeat at champions Burnley, would have been better occupied strolling around Gordon Riggs’ Garden Centre across the road as the Mount got another lesson in just how strong the top sides are in the Lancashire League Division One.
Skipper Ryan Senior won the toss and chose to bat with openers Jack Harrison and professional Chesney Hughes putting on 27 for the first wicket.
But then there followed a steady collapse as 27 for 1 became 78 all out with Andy Kerr top-scoring on 14 and Harrison and Hughes both hitting 13.
Joe Gale was the pick of the home side’s bowling with 5 for 20 from 15 overs while Jamie Shackleton had four victims for 48 in 13 overs.
In reply, Walsden’s sub-professional Chrag Khurana was dismissed for a duck, bowled by Callum Hunter but it proved to be a false dawn and the batting strength of siblings Josh and Joe Gale (both unbeaten on 34 and 18 respectively) ultimately paid off and they passed the Greenmount total after 18 overs.
Meanwhile, at the Log Cabin, the second eleven enjoyed a six-wicket victory when Accrington seconds were the visitors.
Accrington won the toss and chose to bat, putting on 194 for 9 from their 45 overs and aided by some profligate bowling from the Mount who gifted them 41 extras.
Patrick Kilvington picked up four wickets for 47 from 12 while Rick Catterall took 3 for 49 from 9 and skipper Oliver Dixon took 2 for 42 from 14 overs.
Greenmount’s winning reply owed a lot to Andy McGuinness’s unbeaten 69 and he was ably assisted by Kilvington’s 63 as the visitors’ total was knocked off for four wickets in 42.3 overs.
The club’s third team got the weekend off to a start on Saturday when they travelled to take on early league leaders Colne thirds only to narrowly lose by four runs.
After winning the toss Colne chose to bat and posted a total of 207 for 8 from their 14 overs.
There were two wickets apiece for the returning Rory Daveridge, Euan Malone and Adam Clarke while the evergreen Gareth Williams and Matthew Gilmore took one each.
Opening for the Mount were fourteen-year-old Edward Dickinson and his Under-15 coach Nigel Franklin who put on a partnership of 78 before Dickinson was bowled for 32.
Franklin went on to score 71 and with Daveridge hitting 56 there was a nail-biting finish with 11 needed off the final two overs.
After Daveridge’s demise, Tom Clarke joined Euan Malone with ten needed from the final over.
Clarke hit a four but, unfortunately with four needed from the final two balls he was then bowled while trying to hit another decisive boundary.
At the Log Cabin on Bank Holiday Monday, the thirds went down to a 20 run defeat at the hands of Todmorden thirds.
Tod elected to bat after winning the toss and were bowled out for 105 in 35.3 overs with Euan Malone (3 for 13 from 8 overs), Luca Addleton (3 for 26 from 7), Ryan Edge (2 for 22), Adam Clarke (1 for 15) and Steven Addleton (1 for 21) among the wickets.
Despite a 25 from Steven Addleton, only David Willetts (12) and Adam Clarke (10) made it to double figures as the Mount slumped to 85 all out.