It was a frustrating Saturday for clubs in the Bolton Association as rain washed out the entire league programme.

Heavy downpours from mid-morning onwards meant all the first team matches were cancelled without a ball being bowled.

High-flying Bury's home derby with local rivals Elton was one of the fixtures undone by the weather.

Captain Simon Belston, whose side currently sit top of the table after five matches, said: "Not to bowl a ball and not to get on is frustrating and disappointing but it's Mother Nature so there's nothing we can do about it.

"It's a shame because you always want to play in those sort of games.

"Elton would have been looking to come here and put on a performance, and I'm sure it would have been a good match.

"We called it off early because there was a lot of heavy rain around and the ground was slightly wet to say the least.

"There's nothing lost and nothing gained. From our point of view it's five games gone, played three, won three and two abandoned.

"It's one more fixture chalked off the list and we go again in the league next week."

Reigning champions Atherton's home game against third from bottom Standish was called off as was bottom side's Astley and Tyldesley trip to fourth-placed Blackrod.

"It was a bit frustrating not to get the game on as it's one we would have fancied winning," joked Astley and Tyldesley assistant secretary Alf Finch.

"Blackrod's not the best ground in the world unfortunately so the game was called off early.

"We've got a weekend off now as we're not involved in the Cross Cup today having been beaten by Winton in the preliminary round."

Adlington's away fixture at third-placed Swinton Moorside also fell foul of the weather.

The side, who currently lie fourth from bottom in the league, have struggled since victory in their opening fixture, crashing to heavy defeats against Walshaw and Bury, with their other match against Winton rained off two weeks ago.

"Things could be better," said Adlington's secretary Nick Chamberlain.

"The only thing you can say is that it's another day where we didn't lose.

"It's the uncertainty really. You wait around for an hour hoping for the sun to shine in the hope of getting a game started, but in the end it all comes to nothing."

Elsewhere, there was no play in any of the other games with Edgworth's match with Little Hulton, Golborne's game with Worsley, Lostock against Darcy Lever, Walshaw versus Daisy Hill and Flixton's trip to Winton all rained off.

All 18 clubs receive four points after the complete round of fixtures was abandoned.