WALSHAW and Adlington continued their neck-and-neck battle at the top of the Association with two contrasting wins on Saturday.

A superb bowling performance from pro Jonathan Fielding put Walshaw on their way to a relatively easy win over Golborne, but there were only two balls remaining when Adlington snatched success against Atherton.

Walshaw went into their match as league leaders and they lived up to that by dismissing Golborne for a meagre 101.

Pro Fielding was their inspiration taking six wickets for 22 as the Golborne batting attack collapsed. Bret Collins aided and abetted Fielding taking thee wickets for 32 while the only resistance from Golborne came with pro Ian Critchley's knock of 21.

Walshaw achieved their win in 25 overs.

Adlington had a tougher target to chase but they were relieved it was only 148 after Atherton had threatened to post a 200-plus total.

Jonathan Harrop's 39 and Andy Hall's 34 took Atherton to 106-3 but when Mike Howard came onto the scene, runs dried up and wickets fell.

Howard went on to take four wickets for 28 off 16 overs while Eddie Haddon picked up 2-10.

When Adlington batted, Atherton took early control leaving the batsmen to slip behind the run rate.

All that changed when Darryl Hitchen went to the crease and his 65 plus 19 from Mick Flatters set up their last over, three-wicket win.

Astley and Tyldesley looked well set in their game with Darcy Lever when they reached 70-2. Rob Bennett 44 and Dave Nolan 42 were the driving force behind that but it was the bowling of Nick Fawcett and Jason Whittaker that changed the game.

Teenager Fawcett picked up four wickets for 16 with his medium pace while Whittaker had 3-43 to bowl out A & T for 136 a target that proved no problem for Darcy.

Whittaker saw to that as he followed up his good bowling figures with an unbeaten 47 while skipper Tony Kelly contributed 41 in a winning total of 139-2.

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