Kearsley took a massive step towards clinching the championship when they won the showdown with nearest rivals Egerton.

It wasn't so much the victory but the manner in which it was recorded that should send alarm bells ringing around their fellow title hopefuls.

This was the big one between two sides who went into the weekend with daylight between themselves and the teams below them. But it turned out to be a mismatch as Kearsley romped to an 87-run victory.

The leaders blasted a target total of 202-4 with Darren Foy top scoring with an unbeaten 66 and Simon Thompson and Tom Whittle adding 46 while pro Fazal Akbar came in for the last four balls of the innings and hit a four and two sixes.

Akbar continued his eye-catching performance with 4-40 as Egerton were whittled out for 115, Darren Foy also taking four wickets and Mel Whittle 2-34. Egerton pro Neil McGarrell hit 37 and Tim Barry 22.

Westhoughton had no trouble keeping their challenge alive with an emphatic eight-wicket victory at Walkden.

The home side were stunningly bowled out for 81, with Shahid Mahboob starring with 6-36 and he took the honours with the bat as an unbeaten 58 steered his side to the clinical victory.

It was a memorable day for Bradshaw's Neil Johnson who not only finished on the winning side and top scored but also took his career tally past the 5,000-runs milestone.

Responding to Farnworth Social Circle's 123-8, Johnson hit an unbeaten 51 to help the home team keep the pressure on the leaders with a seven-wicket win.

Earlier, Steven Davies batted right through for Circle, hitting 65 not out in his side's 123-8. Circle never got to grips with Raj Bahutule who took 3-40 while former Circle player Ian Nuttall took 2-36.

Horwich just failed to turn a draw into a win at home to well-placed Little Lever.

Grant Long blasted 65 as Horwich made 169-5 before Little Lever did threatened the target before surviving on 158-9, Horwich having two overs at the last pair.

Overseas ace Justin Orchard hit the majority of Little Lever's runs with a superb 106 which included four sixes and nine fours. David White took three Little Lever wickets for 35 runs and Long took 3-50.

Heaton emerged victors in an exciting game at Eagley where the home side twice failed to capitalise on good positions.

The highlight of the Heaton innings was a 113 partnership in 27 overs between pro Rashmi Parida and Gary Garner.

Parida hit 91 and Garner 36 as the visitors made 195-8 although they were at one stage looking less than comfortable on 157-6.

Overseas player Jamie Wilson grabbed four wickets for 46 runs.

Eagley, who began the day one place behind their opponents in third bottom spot, made a flying start as they reached the 60s without a wicket lost.

But then the wickets began to fall steadily and they just couldn't get themselves into a match-winning position, eventually losing their last man 10 runs short of victory.

The misery continued for rock-bottom Astley Bridge who haven't had a league win all season.

Tonge were the latest team to take advantage of Bridge's poor form with a six-wicket victory.

Sikander took 5-32 as Bridge posted a total of 103-9, 15-year-old opener Danny Guest top scoring with 31.

Tonge's overseas man Dave Celep hit 43 as the reigning champions coasted to victory.

Greenmount pro Saeed Anwar just loves playing against Farnworth.

He had already hit 121 in their first league meeting and 143 in their cup clash. And he went on the rampage again with another 88 runs which took his total to 352 against the strugglers this season.

Greenmount opened with 179 all out, with Lee Childs taking 4-56 and Farnworth replied with 155-7 with Billy Noakes 33 not out and Carl Drinkwater 35.

Mark Stewart took 4-52 while Anwar rounded off his day with 3-69.