IN-FORM Clifton grabbed their fifth straight win to clinch a place in the final of the Cross Cup.

They will meet Adlington who came back strongly to complete a marvellous weekend with victory over Blackrod.

Clifton are looking the team to beat and they confirmed their quality with a massive 234-5 against Golborne who were bowled out in 33 overs with 147 on the board.

Tony Kelly top scored for the winners with 79 and there was a quality knock of 58 from Chris Moores, the pair staging a 142 partnership which took the score on from 45 to 187.

Golborne made a poor start with three wickets going with just 38 on the board and when David Parkinson took the wicket of pro Iain Critchley it was downhill all the way.

Chris Benbow and Graham Marston provided resistance with 28 and 27 before David Hamilton saw Golborne off by taking the last five wickets at a cost of 34 runs.

Adlington followed up an eight-wicket win over Little Hulton 24 hours earlier with a 59-run victory over Blackrod.

They started badly when Terry Southworth took the wicket of Michael Rawlings in the first over but Scott Henderson and Darryl Hitchen took the score on to 44 before Henderson fell for 18. Hitchen went on to score 35 and put together a stand of 40 with pro Matthew Taylor before Carl Drinkwater produced an important top scoring knock of 45 to set a reasonable target.

The brakes were put on by Blackrod bowler John Fairbrother mid-innings with a successful and economic 4-15 and wicketkeeper Chris Sanderson also had a good day with three victims.

Blackrod were looking favourites on a good batting wicket but struggled against tight bowling from Mike Rawlings and Matthew Taylor.

Chris Sanderson, top scorer with 22, and Neil Lawless made a slow opening partnership of 35 and when they started to chase the game Drinkwater capitalised with a superb four-wicket haul for just eight runs and Scott Henderson took 3-20.