MIDDLETON suffered another washout on Sunday.

The first team’s Central Lancashire League match against Ashton was abandoned due to rain with Ashton on eight for one, but professional Werner Coetsee did manage to play a winning role last weekend.

On Saturday he was engaged by Nelson as a replacement for their unavailable professional Craig McMillan for a Lancashire League game against Todmorden.

Nelson were certainly keen to get their money’s worth from the South African. They handed him the new ball and he bowled unchanged as Todmorden were dismissed for 107.

Coetsee’s figures were 23.4 overs, eight maidens, six for 35.

His victims included former Rochdale captain Jon Henderson who top scored for Todmorden with 24.

Coetsee was soon back out in the middle, with Nelson wobbling at 15 for two. He took control of a match-winning partnership of 82 with David Crotty.

Coetsee ended unbeaten on 54 (his knock included four fours and three sixes) as Nelson won by seven wickets.

The penultimate week of the CLL season sees Middleton travel to Clifton on Saturday and then entertain Royton on Sunday.

The Moonrakers’ final match of the season, on Sunday 14 September, will see them up against Norden.

Norden have engaged West Indian all-rounder Ryan Hinds as professional for that game, following this week’s departure of Jean Symes who has been called back to South Africa by his franchise club Lions.

A MIDDLETON eleven entertained Barnards Green at Towncroft last week.

Green batted first and totalled 162 in their 40 overs. Dale Highton took five for 40.

Stuart Fitton hit a half century in Middleton’s reply, but it was Werner Coetsee who secured the win for Middleton.

The Moonrakers needed 22 off two overs and Coetsee produced the goods, including two sixes.

MIDDLETON seconds managed to get in 16 overs of Sunday’s home match against Ashton before rain ended play.

Valentine and Buckley each took a wicket as Ashton reached 46 for two.

ALEC McClure scored 109 as Thornham beat Woodbank in a Lancashire County League match last weekend.

Mohammad was also on top form as he hit 90 of Thornham’s 289 for eight.

Woodbank replied with an all out 211.

THORNHAM (v Roe Green away on Saturday, meet 11.15am, and v Glossop at home on Sunday, meet 11.30am): S Grey, P Baxter, Z Khan, A McClure, A Micklethwaite, S Rehman, K Sadiq, M Sagar, M Shakir, J Willman, S Mahmood. For Sunday, M Harrop and W Qasim replace Micklethwaite and Sagar.

THORNHAM 2nd (v Roe Green at home on Saturday, meet 11.15am, and v Glossop away on Sunday, meet 11.15am): T Walsh, I Heywood, W Doyle, D Grant, L Hughes, Z Iqbal, P McMahon, C Heywood, T Smith, G Walsh, A Yates. For Sunday, J Burke replaces A Yates.

THORNHAM 3rd (v Rochdale Catholic Club away on Saturday, meet 12.30pm): J Clarke, S Bashir, J Carnegie, L Fitzpatrick, M Hampson, M Micklethwaite, A Rahim, T Shaw, M Tayyab, D Towler, R Whitehouse. Res: A Towler, K Walmsley, N McNally.