ATHERTON enjoyed contrasting fortunes in their double header last weekend.

At home on Saturday against Darcy Lever they easily overhauled the visitors' formidable 174 for the loss of just two wickets.

But in Sunday's away game at Elton they performed miserably in their attempt to match a similar score of 187, being bowled out for just 130, admittedly without the unavailable Phil West.

On Saturday, skipper Paul Brown won the toss and asked the visitors to bat.

Diwakar and Nuttall opened the bowling with Nuttall proving the more economical, conceding just eight runs from his first spell of six overs while accounting for opener Tom Monk, for a single run.

A partnership of 79 followed between fellow opener Nick Fawcett and skipper Pete Smethurst. And, when Smethurst was caught, Wakefield bowled Paul Brown for 30 before professional Brett Collins helped Fawcett add 39 for the third wicket.

This took the score to 131 in the 30th over and the home side looked to be facing a target in excess of 200. But both were dismissed in the space of five runs, with Fawcett out LBW to Diwakar for 83 and Collins caught by Baines and bowled Nuttall for nine.

Nuttall proceeded to knock over the remaining five wickets at a personal cost of 25 to finish with 7 for 33 from 13.3 overs.

This followed his 8 for 42 in the corresponding away fixture.

Diwakar and Paul Brown completed the picture with 2-57 from 17 and 1-21 from three respectively.

The now regular pairing of Karl Brown and Paul Keenan opened the Atherton reply and had 26 on the board after seven overs before Keenan was taken LBW for 17.

Phil West joined Brown and the pair dug in against some accurate, hostile bowling from Andy Stocks and Brett Collins.

Brown was patient in his handling of Collins, causing the bowler much frustration with his solid defence. Meanwhile West scored just ten from his first 40 balls.

They put together 82 for the second wicket at which point Brown was well caught for an excellent 43.

Phil Wakefield then joined West, who by now had moved into overdrive and was stroking fours all around the ground. And, with four fours in an undefeated 17, he helped his partner propel the Higham Park boys to victory.

West finished on 78 not out with 16 fours and a beautifully flicked six off his toes.

On Sunday, despite losing the toss, Atherton found themselves fielding first.

But, after Nuttall and Diwakar had got rid of both openers by the 16th over with the total on 34, the bowlers had no further success until the penultimate over of the innings as Elton pro Dexter Fitton and young Michael Hall put together a workmanlike partnership of 137, allowing the home side to close 187 for 3.

In their reply, Atherton youngsters Karl Brown and Paul Keenan did not last long, both falling with the total on eight.

A partnership of 68 between Philip Wakefield and Mihir Diwakar looked promising but when both were out in the space of ten runs, Wakefield for 16 and Diwakar for 57, the remaining order caved in.