CRS B have set their sights on a league and cup double after beating Westhoughton Cricket Club 187-149 in the final of the Horwich Shield.

Unbeaten CRS lead second-placed Westhoughton by six points at the top of Section M and they took an early advantage in Friday’s showdown after restricting their opponents to 18 after the second bat and leaving them with just five batters.

But Westhoughton rallied and, following some excellent batting from Andrea Turner (25) and Caroline Parker (18), reached 77 points.

D Derbyshire opened the batting for CRS with a rounder and, after two bats, they had a score of 30 and had lost just three batters. Westhoughton battled valiantly to keep the scores down to one or two each time, but CRS were scoring off every ball as they posted an impressive total of 117.

But Westhoughton staged a fight back and, as more batters managed to stay in after their second bat, with just three players being dismissed for 28 points, it looked like they were going to give CRS a run for their money.

However, their luck was not to last as players struggled to get past second base on the slippery pitch. Helen Ratcliffe hit 17 and Turner 14 as Westhoughton reached 149 after their second innings.

CRS just needed to bat steadily to win the match and L Doherty (15), G Grimes (14) and K Williams (12) steered their side to a comfortable victory.

The Pike Shield final between secondplaced The Vixens and Section J rivals Fernhill Farm Stables, second from bottom, takes place at Bolton Cricket Club on Friday at 6.45pm.

The battle continues at the top of A Section with Darcy Lever C&SC A and reigning champions Rupert Ladies A both on 26 points, though the former have a game in hand. The top two face each other in the final game of the season.

In Section C, three teams are battling for top place on 20 points – Britax Queens, New Inn A and Widdows Mason – and all have to play each other over the next month.