HEATON secured top spot in Group A of the Bolton League 2nd XI Stafford Trophy with an emphatic nine-wicket victory over Darcy Lever.

Adeel Hanif played something of a lone hand as his fine 69 helped Darcy reach a total of 150 all out as Jacob Whittaker and Lee Halliwell each took three wickets.

After losing a quick wicket, Ryan Tierney and Jake Corrigan added an unbroken 147 to see their side home, as the former ended on 76 and the latter 53.

The other game in this group saw Blackrod gain their first win of the season with an 11-run victory over Horwich RMI.

Andrew Spibey (62), Richard Ashworth (40) and Ewan Phillips with 31 helped Blackrod reach 188.

Their reply ended just short on 177-9 despite good knocks from Sam Howell (40), Mark Knowles (31) and Jack Ramsden (30).

With three teams having won one game they are unlikely to join Heaton in the next phase.

Just two points separate the top three in Section B where, despite losing to Astley Bridge by 30 runs, Bradshaw topped the group.

Paris Patel enjoyed a fine all-round game adding 3-32 to his earlier unbeaten 54 as Bradshaw were bowled out for 123 in the chase for 154.

Robert Hardman with 37 and Ross Dickinson 21 provided the bulk of the resistance as Ramesh Patel took 4-11.

Bridge’s 153-9 had earlier been built around Patel and James Cooper who made 43.

Farnworth Social Circle moved into second with a comfortable 139-run victory over Atherton.

Liam Ashworth was the star of the show for Circle with a superb 119 as, with the help of Andrew Wareing’s 40, they posted a total of 250-6.

Joshua Roscoe then ripped the heart out of Atherton’s reply with a fine 6-47 which helped dismiss them for 111 despite Mike Tomlinson hitting 34.

Both Lostock and Westhoughton ended their group C games with14 points after contrasting results in their final game.

Westhoughton finished on a high with a comfortable eight-wicket victory over Daisy Hill who made 129 batting first as Malcolm Strong grabbed a five-wicket haul.

Westhoughton raced to their target for the loss of two wickets in just 18 overs to secure a last-eight place.

Lostock, meanwhile, lost a bizarre low-scoring game at Golborne by two wickets.

Batting first, only Ryan Crombie with 36 and 18 wides helped them reach a paltry 96 all out with the wickets shared around all the bowlers.

Golborne’s reply followed a similar pattern with only Craig Ward reaching double figures on 17 not out as Lostock donated an incredible 48 wides to their cause.

Crombie finished off a great day personally with 5-25 but Golborne edged home by two wickets after a ninth-wicket stand of 35.

Group D was headed by Eagley who completed three wins out of three with a resounding 208-run win over Tonge.

Louis Seigne led the way with 62 with Daniel Burke adding 54 and George Burke 38 as Eagley marched to a total of 273 with Lloyd Sayers taking 3-82.

Sehran Khan managed 20, but the rest of the batting was blown away by James Richards (4-10) and his fellow bowlers in a disappointing 65 all out.

Adlington clinched second spot with a similar display, beating Walkden by 226 runs.

Andrew Chamberlain starred with the bat as he made an excellent 116 and added 141 with Stewart Plowes (79no) as they set an imposing 263-4.

Walkden’s reply simply dissolved in the face of fine spells by Andrew Leyland (4-13), Jack Kane (3-7) and Elliot Lee to a dismal 37 all out.

In Group E, Farnworth also finished with three wins out of three after a tight two-wicket win against Little Hulton.

Rory McIntyre with 24 was the highest of six double-figure scores with none able to make a more telling contribution in a total of 147 as Tom Speak returned 4-26 and Matthew Hicks 3-32.

Brian Kelly and Ian Lee each took three wickets to keep the pressure on the run chase but in the end Hicks, with 39, and Michael Daley (37) did enough to see Farnworth home.

Kearsley won the day’s other game – a low-scoring affair against Little Lever – by eight wickets after Lever had been bowled out for just 56.