Haslingden Methodists struck a blow for the underdogs, scoring only their second league win of the season in defeating highflyers Millennium by seven wickets in the Accrington & District Cricket League at King George's.

New Zealander Ryan Holt continued his good all-round form this season, taking 5-22 in 15 overs and scoring 11 not out in his team's surprise victory. Opening batsmen Simon Lord steered Methodists home with an excellent 51 not out. Attock moved nine points clear at the top of the A Division with a three wicket win over Harry Wood Cup Final opponents Taverner A. Liquat Khan passed 200 runs for the season in scoring 66 not out. Mark Swift scored a season's best of 65 for Taverners who now lie fourth after Whalley Road's second win in a row with an understrength team.

League secretary Richard Brown, whose first appearance for Whalley Road was in 1949, extended his career still further by turning out in the five wicket win over Manchester Road. David Heys, who always does well against the league's oldest club, hit 58 not out and took 3-23 as his team sank to joint bottom.

Taverner B moved to the top of the B Division with a convincing five wicket win over Accrington A. Jack Taylor capped an outstanding weekend by scoring 53 and taking 4-11 in 10 overs for Taverners B on Highams. Mark Taylor hit form at last with 43 in Accrington's 115 all out. Mus Shah, with a point to prove, took three early wickets to reduce Taverners to 14-3, but a fourth wicket partnership of 86 between Jack Taylor and Mark Maden (40) took Taverners to within sight of victory. St Phillip's third consecutive win saw them move into third place after defeating Everest on last weekend's pitch at Bullough Park by five wickets. Mark Devoy took 5-66 and Terry Kenny 3-49, as the veterans bowled unchanged. The Hussains, Shafaq (39) and Ikhlaq (35 not out), were in the runs for the Great Harwood side. Lee Sculpher hit 32 and Howard Sutcliffe 26 not out for St Phillip's.

Results - A Division (Saturday): Whalley Road 140-5 (M Johnson 40, A Gardener 36, D Heys 3-23, K Dunne 2-40), Manchester Road 136-3 (D Heys 58no, R Bailey 30, P Sharp 1-19, S Sipocz 1-53); Attock 164-7 (L Khan 66no, K Shah 35, S Fazal 2-49, A Butterworth 3-7), Taverner A 162-8 (M Swift 65, A Hussain 20, S Khan 4-29, A Shah 2-42); Haslingden Methodists 90-3 (S Lord 51no, R Holt 11no, A Hussain 1-22, Z Mohammed 1-24), Millennium 88 (S Mohammed 16, M Riaz 14, R Holt 5-22, W Haworth 2-25).

B Division: Accrington A 115 (M Taylor 43, M Croasdale 15, J Taylor 4-11, D Swift 4-49), Taverners B116-5 (J Taylor 53, M Maden 40, M Shah 3-43, N Hussain 2-19); Everest 127 (S Hussain 39, I Hussain 35no, M Devoy 5-66, T Kenny 3-49), St Phillips 128-5 (L Sculpher 32, H Sutcliffe 26no, K Maqsood 2-28, S Hussain 1-26).

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.