BURY claimed their first Manchester Association Premier Division victory on Saturday with a much improved performance against Westleigh.

The Sports Club side welcomed two new faces to their ranks with Howard Pawson joining from Elton and Eddie Afridi rejoining the club, having played briefly for them a couple of years ago.

Skipper Mike Brawn lost his fourth toss in a row and was invited to bat.

For the first time this season Bury's batting showed patience and backbone, with Brawn digging in with 22 while professional Nick Kennedy pushed the score along with a useful 44.

The star with the bat, however, was Afridi, whose 64 enabled Bury to post a score of 160, although the collapse of the tail meant that the home side went into tea a little disappointed.

Bury's cause was helped during the Westleigh reply by a rain break costing the away side eight overs.

This caused the away side to go for their shots and some fine Bury bowling reduced the reply to 144 all out in the final over.

Sam Leach was the pick of the Bury bowlers with 4 for 37.

This was a much needed moral boost for Bury after a tough start, and with the likes of Andy Metcalfe due to return, things down Radcliffe Road are looking a lot brighter.

IN Division One, Brooksbottoms' fitful start to the season continued with an untidy affair at Deane & Derby where the bad weather eventually won the day.

A two hour delay meant that the game was reduced to 35 overs and in the conditions, Brox skipper Richard Ernill had no doubt in asking the home side to bat.

Aussie import Josh Pellowe struck a couple of early blows to put the Summerseat men on top before Patel and Jeewa, with the dominant stand of the match, took over.

This was not one of Brox's better efforts with the ball and they weren't helped by losing a fielder through injury.

The final overs from Pellowe and Ernill, pegged thehome side back a little but it was still advantage Deane & Derby at tea, with 171 for 7 on the board.

In reply, Brox's innings, through the masterful Oliver Hawley and able lieutenant Tommy Read, was just showing signs of blossoming when an untimely burst of rain, albeit brief, pretty much dashed their victory chances.

When play eventually resumed the batsmen made steps to step up the rate before the inevitable happened and a combination of fading light and wet conditions underfoot brought proceedings to a premature close.