Redmayne Bentley Bolton Association By Neil Bonnar

THE title race was thrown wide open as leaders and reigning champions Walshaw suffered a shock defeat as rampant rivals Atherton and Clifton both won.

Blackrod proved the Bury side is only human after all with the surprise result of the season which leaves Walshaw just two points clear of the chasing duo.

They never looked like pulling it off when, after setting a modest target of 167-9, Walshaw put themselves firmly in command at 80-3. Then the wheels fell off and they were bowled out for 123.

Blackrod had a miserable start to the day when they lost opening batsman Neil Lawless to the first ball, but his opening partner Craig Bailey steadied the ship with a top score of 48.

Walshaw just could not handle Terry Southworth, who scooped seven wickets at a cost of 45 runs, to put Blackrod in good heart for the following day's Cross Cup semi-final clash with Adlington.

Atherton and Clifton also provided bowling heroes with Clifton's Tony Potter grabbing six wickets at Standish and Philip Wakefield seven against Darcy Lever.

After whittling Standish out for 128, Clifton earned their fourth consecutive league win when pro Dave Parkinson steered his side to victory with a top score of 65.

Darcy pro Yashir Bashir hit 64 of his side's 159 all out, a target Atherton past with 10 overs to spare mainly thanks to the consistently impressive pro Greg Dimery who blasted an unbeaten 81.

Golborne kept themselves within sight of the top trio with an eight wicket victory at Elton. Pro Ian Critchley destroyed the Elton batting with five wickets for just 12 runs as the Bury side were all out for 92, a target which proved easily within Golborne's capabilities with Ian Robinson and Paul Waterworth not out for 40 and 28 runs.

Just two points adrift of Golborne come Adlington who had a comfortable victory at Little Hulton who opened with 150-9, Paul Craig 58, Mike Edwards 33, Duncan McNally 4-32.

Darryl Hitchen hit an unbeaten 50, Mark Rawlings 43 and Scott Henderson 39 as Adlington prepared themselves nicely for the Sunday Cross Cup semi with Blackrod with an eight-wicket win.

Daisy Hill's problems got worse as they were given a lesson by a rampant Edgworth. Daisy's 147-8, Duncan Brooks 35, Nigel Barlow 3-26, was treated with contempt by Edgworth who raced past it with all 10 wickets still standing. David Critchley and Mike Davies did the damage with dominant knocks of 57 and 63.

Lostock won the basement battle with Astley and Tyldesley to record their second win in succession - and of the season.

Both teams had good weekends last week and this one could have gone either way with Lostock finally taking the honours with just four balls to spare.

A&T pro Nigel Doyle hit 54 and Phil Hall took 4-32 as the visitors were all out for 133, a target Lostock waited until the eleventh hour to pass with pro Steve Twist unbeaten on 52.