BRILLIANT South African JJ Smuts put on a show that would have had his fellow countrymen blowing their vuzuzelus as he wrote his name into the Chorley history books on Saturday.

The professional roared back to form as his men, struggling for form, hammered Carnforth.

His batting display at Lodge Quarry was something to behold as he smashed the home bowling to all corners on his was to 177 not out.

That is the highest individual score in Chorley’s Northern League history and helped the locals to a daunting 278-8.

On a good track at the small ground, Chorley had no doubt about batting first but lost Jack Catterall for just four.

And when James Reynard was run out for 16 and Will Moulton fell for just three, Chorley were 69-3 and the game was in the balance.

Michael Critchley (21) and Sam Tolley (31) made good contributions to push the score along but Smuts took total control on a day to remember.

His unbroken partnership with Keiran McCullagh for the seventh wicket was worth 82 – and McCullagh made just three of those and only faced three balls as Smuts went ballistic.

His 177 came from just 139 balls and included 15 fours and 10 sixes – some 120 in boundaries.

In fact, his final 77 came from just 22 balls as he sent the scoreboard into meltdown.

It was breathtaking stuff and was dreadfully damaging for the Carnforth bowlers and their figures. Home professional Gareth Pedder could only bowl two overs because of a groin strain and while Darren Nelson claimed four wickets, they were at a cost of 122, while John Denwood must have been reaching for a white flag.

The veteran’s 23 overs yielded figures of 1-133 – and it was mission improbable for the hosts.

Billy Smith removed Tom Barnfield and Pedder and the league’s bottom side were never in the game.

And when gritty opener Ryan Nelson was spun out by Smuts for 38 with the score on 94, the game could have ended then.

In the end, Carnforth were rolled over for 139 with Smuts, McCullagh, Smith and Reynard each claiming two wickets.

Chorley

Smuts Not Out 177
J Catterall ct Pedder b Nelson 4
J Reynard run out 16
W Moulton ct Moore b Nelson 5
M Critchley b Denwood 21
I Oakes ct Hoyle b Nelson 8
S Tolley b Nelson 31
K McCullagh Not Out 3
Extras 13
Total (6 wickets, 50 overs) 278
Pedder 2 0 12 0, D Nelson 25 1 122 4, J Denwood 23 0 133 1.

Carnforth

R Nelson ct Moulton b Smuts 38
T Barnfield LBW Smith 0
Pedder ct Reynard b Smith 17
D Moore ct McCullagh b Lee 15
R Shah b McCullagh 5
A Hornby ct Critchley b Smuts 0
A Cowperthwaite ct Catterall b Oakes 23
R Horsfall LBW McCullagh 0
D Nelson ct Moulton b Reynard 13
B Hoyle Not Out 0
J Denwood b Reynard 6
Extras 22
Total (all out , 41.3 overs) 139
K McCullagh 11 2 58 2, B Smith 8 2 22 2, J Lee 6 4 8 1, Smuts 11 5 24 2, I Oakes 4 2 6 1, J Reynard 1.3 1 6 2. Chorley won by 139 runs.