THE Bolton Association championship chase is shaping up to be one of the closest in years.

Whether that is a direct result of the new points system has still to be determined, but with the top three clubs separated by only three points, and the next three close on their heels, the title race is wide open.

Standish lead the pack after their handsome win over Little Hulton in a match that yielded nearly 500 runs.

Captain Steve Knowles was a major player in the Standish innings reaching 114 as his side built up the day's top score, 260-7.

Yet Little Hulton were never daunted by such a formidable total and went for the runs from the start, Ian Gibson hitting a six off the first ball of the innings.

David Platt then took up the challenge and blasted five 6s and nine 4s in a quickfire 81, but once he had gone the Standish bowlers took control.

Andy Fox led the way with 4-49 and Peter Walder claimed 3-19 in dismissing Little Hulton for 202 in 43 overs.

Second placed Darcy Lever were also indebted to a century maker for their win at Elton.

They looked to have a job on their hands chasing Elton's 209-5, Dexter Fitton dominating the innings with 93, yet such a target was just the incentive for Darcy pro Devendra Bundela.

It almost ended though before it began when he was dropped first ball, but he recovered from that to punish Elton with an unbeaten 105 to take his total runs for the season to 554, Darcy finishing on 210-3 and seven-wicket winners.

Of the three top clubs, Walshaw were the ones who were to work hardest for their win. They were in trouble chasing Daisy Hill's total of 184 with two juniors left out in the middle to try and save the game. But teenagers Rick Carroll and Alec Roughley did better than that, keeping their heads and their wickets to steer Walshaw to a one-wicket win. Carroll finished on 10 not out and Roughley was seven not out after Daisy Hill pro Faisal Alfredi had caused the earlier batsmen most of the problems. He finished with figures of 6-90, while for Walshaw, Anthony Harris hit 48 and Danny Hornby 40.

Clifton snatched a last ball win at Blackrod after looking as if they had missed their victory chance.

Chasing the home side's 180, they needed 20 off the last two overs, but made huge inroads into that by taking 15 off the penultimate over.

With five needed for victory they failed to score off the first two balls of the final over, then lost the wicket of chief run-maker Jamie Royle for 74, but still managed to claim the winning runs off the next three balls.

Greg Jennings hit 55 for Clifton while Chris Tye took 4-24 in the Blackrod innings.

Spring View carved out a handsome seven-wicket win over Edgworth, mainly due to Tony Kelly's unbeaten 89 and a half century from pro Arindam Sarkar.

That saw View to 199-3, overhauling Edgworth's 197-8 in which Guy Haines top scored with 61.

Two deputy professionals stole the show in Golborne's game against Adlington.

Gary Garner, deputising for Adlington's injured Iain Critchley, hit an unbeaten 56 in his side's 167-7, but then former Greenmount professional Robin Morris, standing in for another injury victim, Rob Turnbull, responded with 85, Golborne winning the game by six wickets.