KC LADIES, bottom of Section D and without a point, recorded a confidence-boosting victory over Varnish Industries, who are unbeaten in Section F, in the first round of the Dixon Shield.

Trailing 127-35 after the first innings, Varnish scored 139 in the second, but 86 by KC was enough to win it.

Pineapple Chunks, who had lost all three of their Section F games, beat Trafford, who had lost two, by an innings.

Hulton Lane Ladies, who were also without a win in the same section, beat high-flying Chorley Ladies from Section E.

They were 20 runs ahead after the first innings, and stretched the lead in the second innings as Chorley collapsed.

Section E Jackson Motor Repairs beat Section D Bolton Castle A, surviving a fightback which saw a 40-run lead at the interval reduced to 23 by the end.

Although 35 runs ahead of Section F rivals Adlington CC, MWS, who were unbeaten in Section E, were beaten as three Adlington players scored more than 40 runs each to help win by 66 runs.

Yorkies Dream Team A beat fellow Section D team Tansy Allstars by an innings. Wallys Eleven and Hi-Q Fabs A, also from Section D and with two league wins each, produced a much closer game, Wallys leading 93-77 at the break, and 213-164 at the finish.

The Royal A beat Westhoughton CC Divas by 29 runs in the Blackburn Shield.

Bolton Rugby Club, who had only won once in the league, produced a shock, beating a Darcy Lever C&SC team from a section higher by an innings.

Dave’s Minibus A were restricted to leading Farnworth CC by just five runs at the interval before pulling away to a 24-run win.

Unbeaten in Section One, The New Inn B faced Contract Services, yet to win in Section G, and won by an innings after dismissing their opponents for just 12 runs in the first innings – a total that included seven bad balls.

Tansy Green came good after two league defeats to beat Aura Ladies, who are unbeaten in the section below them.

The Pike Shield matches produced a few close finishes, including Section L’s bottom side Ladies Taverners who came from 54 behind to beat Section K strugglers Royal Bolton Hospital by 12.

Section K side Lostock Roofing Ladies overturned a 16-run deficit to beat Section J’s unbeaten leaders American Express by 22 runs.

Only three matches in the Horwich Shield did not result in a declaration or an innings win, and the closest finish of the round saw New House Ladies lose to My2Feet by six runs after being just four behind after the first innings.

Next week’s action starts on Sunday morning with 11 first-round matches in the handicap competitions before the league programme resumes.