RAINHILL are on the verge of claiming the Merseyside Competition Second Division title.

After beating Whitefield at Victoria Terrace, they now need only 24 more points.

Whitefield put the home side into bat first. This proved costly as Rainhill got the momentum going after a steady start with Paul Robinson making the impact with a valuable 38 runs but was cut short by a controversial LBW decision.

Geoff Cropper made a significant contribution of 29 as did all rounder Nick Chapman with 15 not out to boost the final total to 130-8 declared off 48 overs.

The Rainhill bowlers made the breakthrough in the very first over of Whitefield's reply and were in trouble at 25-5. Then there was a 40 run partnership between Connolly (13) and Ness (43) not out to make the score more respectable.

They were going for the win at that stage but Paul Robinson finished them off by taking 5-46. Nick Chapman did the early damage with 3-27and Andy Lewis 2-13 curtailed Whitefield's innings at 99 all out with seven-and-a-half overs to spare.

The 2nd XI went to Court Hey, Whitefield and were made to work hard the home side compiled 178 all out. Catches win matcheswas the case here as Peter Swift took three fine catches including a caught and bowled, followed by Phil Kelly taking two and a stumping.

This was due to Peter Swift's fine bowling of 3-42 and even better was Andy Birkett's 3-2 runs. Young Mark Ford also made an impression with 2 -27 and Liam Pearsontook1 for 39. In reply the 2nd XI went on all out attack with a superb innings of 73 from Phil Kelly, ably supported by under 15 player Conor Morris with a fine unbeaten 57 (88 partnership) to win the match by four wickets.

There were two teams out on Sunday. One went all the wayto Middlewich where the home side batted first to compile a formidable 221-7 offthe allotted 35 overs.

The first wicket only went down at 131 and Andy Lewisstarted the fightback with 2-40. Liam Pearson did really well to take 4-41-11 in two spells.

The Rainhill innings was cut short by the rain with just one over bowled.

The other Sunday team went to Appleton, where they restricted the home side to 158-9 with good bowling by Danny Sherratt 3 -38, Colin Gannon 3- 31 and Carl Lewis 2-13. In reply Rainhill were in trouble at 19-5, but then recovered to 106 for 8 with a fine unbeaten 59 from Andy Birkett.