AUSSIE ace Steve Hammond is leading Flixton’s challenge to Atherton’s threat to dominate the league.

The Howe Bridge men rattled up their eighth win in 10 games with a comfortable seven-wicket victory at Darcy Lever on Saturday to maintain their impressive start to the season.

But the powerful Flixton side are in no mood to let them have it all to themselves with Hammond – who plays the twin role of professional and captain at Lawrence Road – once again proving his worth with bat and ball in a hard-fought victory over Little Hulton.

Hammond took 4-21, including two wickets in the first over. But Asim Shah (60) and Callum Barlow (31) at least ensured the visitors recovered sufficiently enough to post a respectable 169.

That made for a close game and Flixton did not have things all their own way with strike bowler Shaukat Patel bowling through and ending with figures of 6-71.

Luke Perry maintained his 60-plus average for the season with a knock of 69, which laid the foundation for the home side’s reply but with the game in the balance they still needed the determined Hammond to steer them home with an unbeaten 40 – the winning runs coming with just a couple of overs to spare.

Atherton are showing no signs of letting up, though, on the evidence of their resounding win at struggling Darcy Lever.

Jamar Griffith stole the show again, taking 5-28 in partnership with James Damjanovski (4-36), as Darcy Lever were skittled for 94, then hitting an unbeaten 44 as Atherton strolled to a comfortable 13 points.

With Edgworth losing at Elton and Daisy Hill surprisingly beaten comprehensively at Standish, Walshaw moved impressively up to third place with an 80-run home win against Bury.

Lee Chapman top scored as Edgworth posted 203-9 in their 39 overs of a contest slightly affected by the weather.

Nick Murphy contributed 36 then took 6-62 as league newcomers Bury suffered a second successive defeat, bowled out for 123 in 30 overs.

Daisy Hill’s hopes of keeping pace with the top two were dashed when they were undone by the Standish bowling partnership of Sam Heeley and Dave Bowden.

Heeley took 7-36 and Bowden 3-14 as they bowled out the home side for 96 inside 30 overs – a target the visitors needed just 16.2 overs to overhaul, Rob Cobley top scoring with an unbeaten 64.

Mark Halliwell made the most of a rare chance to shine with the ball, helping Adlington to a nine-wicket home win against Golborne.

In only his second bowl of the season, he had figures of 5-18 from 10 overs – the first five of which were maidens – as Golborne were bowled out for 96 in 34 overs. Majid Majeed (3-33) added to the pressure on the visitors whose total would have been much lower but for a knock of 45 from Rizwan Hussein.

Professional Tom Foster (62no) and fellow opener Zak Millington (26) ensured there were no slip-ups as Adlington reached the target inside 35 overs.

Blackrod are still looking for their first win of the season – their ninth defeat in 10 games coming by an 84-run margin at Gin Pit, where Jimmy Cutt had a good day with both bat and ball.

Cutt hit 32 in A&T’s total of 199-6. David Harrison top scored with 47 and there were significant contributions from Michael Brookes (45) and Haman Patel (38). Chris Sanderson hit 40 and Gary Walsh 30 in the visitors’ reply but with Cutt in good nick with the ball, taking 5-32, Blackrod were bowled out for 115 in 40 overs.

Chris Read (70) top scored in Elton’s 64-run victory over Edgworth but it came at a price.

The professional led the home side’s charge to 226-5 before retiring hurt with what was feared could be a recurrence of a hamstring injury.

Skipper Steve Filkins hit 56 and Mark Goddard was unbeaten on 36 as the Bury side bounced back impressively from the previous week’s defeat at Daisy Hill to register their third league win.

Jaco Fourie (40), Simon Lord (37) and Andrew Mills (34) gave the visitors a glimmer of hope but the home bowlers were always on top – Goddard adding to his fine effort with the bat by taking 6-47 and 18-year-old opening bowler Kieran Grundy taking 3-39.