NORMAL service was resumed on Sunday when the top two – Atherton and Flixton – put the previous day’s defeats behind them with emphatic victories over Daisy Hill and Astley and Tyldesley, respectively.

But it was basement boys Blackrod who stole the limelight – beating Elton by 28 runs to record their first league win of the season at the 13th attempt.

Blackrod lost key players after winning the league and Cross Cup double two years ago and their demise has been dramatic.

Ninth last season, they have been the whipping boys for much of the current campaign, losing 11 of their previous 12 fixtures, their most recent a five-wicket defeat in their bottom-of-the table clash at Darcy Lever on Saturday.

But there was no stopping them 24 hours later after professional Tush De Zoysa (81), Graeme Walsh (43 not out) and Chris Sanderson (36) helped them post 206-7 – their biggest total of the season.

Cross Cup holders Elton rose to the challenge, though, and looked like they might add to Blackrod’s frustrations until the 35th over when the dangerous John Ashworth, well into his stride with 30 to his name, was superbly caught by De Zoysa at mid-wicket off Sanderson.

Adam Nuttall (47no) continued to take the fight to the home side but with De Zoysa (3-65) and Sanderson (3-40) leading a determined attack, Blackrod ran out comfortable winners.

Bury moved up into the slipstream of the top two, taking over third spot from Edgworth with an impressive six-wicket win in a high-scoring duel at the Barlow Memorial Institute.

Simon Lord (82) and Liam Watkinson (72) led the charge as Edgworth scored more than four an over to post a handsome 224.

But Bury’s run-maker supreme, Kobus Scholtz, followed up his unbeaten half century in Saturday’s victory over Flixton with an unbeaten 96. And, with Alex Breckin contributing 57, the league newcomers once again showed they are a force to be reckoned with.

Standish, who beat Atherton on Saturday, followed up with another 13-pointer at Golborne, who had a miserable weekend.

Sam Heeley (41) and Niall Burke (40) top-scored as the Wigan side chalked up 183-8 from their 48 overs, then the bowlers did their stuff – Dave Bowden taking his tally to 12 wickets in two days with 7-26 from 14 overs and Burke playing the support role with 3-33 as Golborne, well-beaten at Elton on Saturday, were skittled for 62.

Shaukat Patel took the individual honours as Little Hulton bounced back from defeat at Adlington with a three-wicket win at home to Darcy Lever.

Patel took 4-53 and, backed up by Azam Shah (3-36), helped restrict the visitors to 147-9. He then hit 33no, and with Sully Muhammad (30), steered Little Hulton to victory, despite the best efforts of Darcy’s Alex Lee who took 4-55.

Walshaw claimed their second win of the weekend with a 25-run victory over Adlington, which was far more comfortable than the scoreboard would suggest – the visitors grateful to collect six bonus points in an untidy finish that culminated in Majid Majeed hammering 24 off Danny Hornby’s final over to finish on 128 not out.

Hornby (55), Nick Murphy (50) and Danny Holland (37) starred with the bat as Walshaw posted 229-7 – far too tough a challenge for Adlington whose challenge was effectively over when they were reduced to 76-5.

But they dug in to grab a handful of consolation points – three for getting to within 30 points of their target, two for not being bowled out and one for scoring more than 175.

Atherton wasted no time in banking maximum points with a nine-wicket home win against Daisy Hill.

James Damjanovski (7-20) and Jamar Griffith (3-18) skittled the visitors for a paltry 43 and, after Matt Gallagher had gone for nine, the same pair rattled off the runs in the seventh over.

The match between Flixton and Astley and Tyldesley lasted longer but also ended in a comfortable and predictable win for the hosts.

Full marks go to A&T’s Jimmy Cutt, who plugged away throughout the innings and took 4-95 from his 24 overs.

But Alton Beckford (59), Mark Penny (58), Steve Hammond (42) and Rick Oakley (34) helped Flixton post a formidable 254-9.

Cutt went out and opened for the visitors and top scored with 36.

But he lacked support and with Aiden Featherstone (5-23) and Alan Embleton (4-36) spearheading the attack, A&T were dismissed for 105 in just 34 overs.