MOTHER Nature was not very kind to the Leigh Laners of Elton last weekend.

Although they managed to finish both of their games, several points went to waste.

On Saturday, Elton faced the unenviable trip to Little Hulton, and were greeted with a wet, green, seamer; ideally suited to the Salford outfit's pace bowlers.

After a modest clean-up operation, Little Hulton batted first after stand-in skipper Mark Goddard called correctly in the rain reduced game.

But they ran into fast bowling express Stephen Filkins who picked up three early wickets including talented professional Ijaz Mahmood.

Resurgent Peter Lomax also collected three wickets on his return to the side.

However, poor fielding and hard hitting Mark Penny's valuable 49 allowed Little Hulton to reach atesting 122-9.

Elton's reply was complicated. Due to a fall down in the rule book, Elton received less overs to bat than their counterparts.

However, the Leigh Laners never hit form, only Dexter Fitton and Michael Hall managed to contribute to the final total of 110-7.

Sunday's game against title rivals Darcy Lever went more smoothly though.

Elton lost the toss and were inserted; only to score freely early on.

However, after pro Fitton was removed the run-rate fell as new men Goddard and Hall faced increasingly strict bowling from paid man Bundela.

After some manufactured singles, and clever hitting, Elton finished on 167-8; a commanding total as Darcy Lever lost 12 overs due to a half hour downpour soon after the start.

It was Peter Kay's turn to blast away the top order as he returned was three wickets including Bundela without scoring. Goddard joined the party with four wickets of his own, bringing his season total to 29.

Elton looked good for a full points victory, but were thwarted by frustrasting stonewall batting by the Levers - a practice all to common in the Bolton Association.

Although Elton did not take full points last weekend, they came through one of their toughest weekends relatively unscathed, and still have plenty to improve upon.

Meanwhile, the second team had two convicning wins against Little Hulton and then Darcy Lever.

Against Little Hulton, they came out on top by 114 runs after Mark Hamnett's 68 had formed the backbone of Elton's 203 all out.

Darcy Lever were similarly dismissed cheaply as they succumbed to some fine bowling in a final total of 115. David Murray (38*) then saw his side home.

WALSHAW came out on top in their battle with Adlington on Saturday.

Adlington batted first in very damp conditions and were soon on the racks when opener Hadden was run out without troubling the scorers.

Walshaw professional Jon Fielding and skipper Bret Collins were causing all sorts of trouble and Fielding ripped out the heart of the visitors batting on his way to figures of 4-57.

Mark Halliwell (45) and Nick Boden (37) steadied the ship and they helped set a target of 174 for perennial title challengers Walshaw.

The home side's reply started in the worst possible way when Rob Faulkner fell to the first ball of the day but fellow opener Tony Kelly (84) put the Adlington attack to the sword.

Fielding was dismissed with the victory within touching distance but Jon Fielding (43*) and Bret Collins (5*) were on hand to seal the points.