WALSHAW took a giant step nearer retaining their Bolton Association championship with two victories at the weekend.

At 70 for 5 at the halfway stage of the inning the Sycamore Road lads looked to be wobbling at Little Hulton on Saturday.

But Gary Dyson, batting further down the order than usual, steadied matters with an excellent knock of 61.

He was ably supported by the lower order batsmen as the Walshaw total reached a respectable 174.

With a strong batting line-up, Hulton were always going to go for the runs, but tight bowling, keen fielding and a regular fall of wickets ensured another 20-point haul.

On Sunday Walshaw enjoyed a much easier victory against Blackrod.

After winning the toss and inviting the visitors to bat, they restricted them to 100, with the wickets shared between all four bowlers.

Openers Harris and Hornby got the Walshaw innings off to a brisk start and, when they were all out for 48 and 24 respectively, Fielding and Faulkner were left at the crease to see their side reach the required total with only 18 of the 48 overs used. LITTLE HULTON v WALSHAW

WALSHAW

A. Harris c Rushton b Ijaz...20

D. Hornby c Craig b Sutherland...2

B. Collins c Andrews b Ijaz...6

J. Fielding b Ijaz...31

R. Faulkner b Ijaz...2

G. Dyson b Sutherland...61

M. Forrest c Andrews b Ijaz...17

R. Novak c Rushton b Ijaz...3

B. Hamilton c Morrison b Sutherland...6

L. Riley not out...4

S. Price lbw Sutherland...3

Extras...14

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Total 174

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46.4 overs

A. Sutherland 13.4-0-51-4; Ijaz 23-2-71-6; I. Lee 10-1-42-0.

LITTLE HULTON

P. Craig c Price b Fielding...19

D. Mullineux lbw Hamilton...7

Ijaz b Hamilton...2

M. Penney st Harris b Fielding...20

A. Perry c Harris b Fielding...2

M. Edwards b Price...6

I. Lee lbw Price...4

P. Rushton b Price...4

D. Andrews b Fielding...7

A. Sutherland b Fielding...0

B. Morrison not out...0

Extras...7

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Total (for 7) 78

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42 overs

B. Hamilton 17-8-31-2; J. Fielding 21-6-34-5; S. Price 4-1-8-3.

WALSHAW v BLACKROD

BLACKROD

N. Lawless b Price...4

C. Sanderson b Collins...17

J. Southworth c Riley b Price...2

D. Morris c Harris b Fielding...34

D. Whittle c Dyson b Price...4

S. Ashworth lbw Fielding...5

P. Dickinson b Hamilton...4

G. Speak c Harris b Fielding...18

J. Fairbrother c Hornby b HAmilton...1

M. Westhead not out...5

M. Barker b Fielding...0

Extras...6

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Total 100

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46.3 overs

B. Collins 19-4-25-1; S. Price 14-5-31-3; J. Fielding 13.3-5-28-4; B. Hamilton 9-2-13-2.

WALSHAW

D. Hornby c Sanderson b Morris...24

A. Harris c Fairbrother b Whittle...48

B. Collins lbw Morris...0

J. Fielding not out...18

R. Faulkner not out...8

Extras...3

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Total (for 3) 101

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19.1 overs

D. Morris 6-1-29-2; J. Southworth 2-0-22-0; D. Whittle 7.1-1-27-1; S. Ashworth 4-0-21-0.