DAVE Parkinson hit Little Hulton for six as Edgworth scored a dramatic victory over the defending champions at the Barlow Memorial Institute.

Parkinson hit an unbeaten 83 and won a hard-fought contest with a six off the second ball of the final over on a day when Walshaw and Flixton again underlined their title credentials.

Tom Fairclough, who took 6-52 off 18 overs, helped restrict Little Hulton to a decent but not altogether daunting 195-9 – professional Miazi Ali topscoring for the visitors with 68 and Shay Parkinson hitting 33.

A confident and steady reply, in which Andrew Mills contributed a valuable 45, meant Edgworth were always in the hunt before Parkinson put the seal on an impressive victory.

Walshaw remain top of the table after an 81-run victory at home to Standish.

Nick Murphy turned in an impressive all-round display, hitting 50 as Walshaw posted 204 and taking 6-76 as Standish were restricted to just 123 in reply.

But it might have been a closer contest had Danny Holland not given the Walshaw innings some much-needed impetus with a quickfire 67. The home side looked set to post a modest total – Sam Healy taking five of their wickets – until Holland, batting at seven, cut loose.

Standish struggled in reply with Richard Smith (32) and Healy (31) the only batsmen to show any serious resistance to the attack of Murphy and Dave Bowden (4-36).

Flixton, second in the table, four points behind Walshaw, maintained their challenge with a two-wicket win at Golborne, although it was not plain sailing.

After bowling out the home side for a modest 120 (Neil McKernan 4-26), they were struggling at 67- 6 and needed an unbeaten 40 from Robert Clewes to see them home.

Big-hitting Matt Stevenson fell desperately short of smashing Atherton to victory over Elton at Howe Bridge. Batting at nine and, with his side staring defeat in the face as they chased Elton’s 213, Stevenson hit eight sixes to keep the game alive.

Visiting pro Toby Bulcock (7-82) was the bowler who bore the brunt of the onslaught as Stevenson flexed his muscles but on 59, with just three balls remaining and an unlikely victory in sight, he was caught on the boundary going for another six that would have won the game for Atherton. Earlier Mike Hall (68) and John Ashworth (39) laid the foundation for Elton’s win but the visitors’ indiscipline at the crease – persistent running on the pitch – led to them having three runs deducted and Atherton getting a 15-run start.

Asif Bhojani was the pivotal figure in Blackrod’s 10-wicket trouncing of neighbours Adlington.

Bhojani took 6-32 as the visitors were skittled out for 79, then hit 38 in an unbeaten partnership with pro Zahoor Elahi (35) as Blackrod coasted to victory.

Daisy Hill won their home duel with A&T by three wickets but made heavy weather of it, stumbling mid-stride in what should have been a comfortable run chase.

Amjid Khan took 5-53 for the home side as A&T were bowled out for 131 – Jamie McDougall (61) the only visiting batsman to cause problems for the bowlers.

At 90-2 after just 21 overs Daisy Hill appeared to have the game sewn up, but the middle order struggled against the bowling of Paul Finch (4-35) and they slumped to 117-7 before Hafiz Imran saw them home, smashing 21, including 18 off what turned out to be the final over from Joe Hawke.

Grant Cordin followed up his seven-wicket haul of the previous weekend with another five to help Darcy Lever to a five-wicket win at Spring View.

Cordin’s 5-34 from 17 overs helped the visitors bowl out the Wigan side for just 117. Colin Murray (42) and Sam Crook (36) steered Darcy to victory