ELTON'S grip on the top of the table was loosened by a combination of weather and the rules.

On Friday, the leaders lost the 14 points from their win over Golborne a month ago after the Association committee decided that the match had started after the 4pm deadline.

Then to add to their woes, Elton's hopes of wiping out the memory of that with a win at Edgworth were dashed when the rain made the pitch unplayable.

Of the chasing pack, Atherton profited from a reduced overs seven-wicket win over neighbours Astley & Tyldesley to leapfrog Darcy into second place, 10 points behind Elton.

Batting first, A & T's 125-5 total provided the home side with something of a test. Fortunately, Philip West continued his recent good form with an unbeaten 42, a score matched by Neil Bannister, but it was only in the last over that they reached 128-3 to achieve their win.

At Sycamore Road, Walshaw's efforts to get their ground fit for play almost rebounded on them when they were bowled out for 125 in 28 overs of the 36-over game.

That left Standish with an extra eight overs to reach that total, yet they failed to take advantage, being bowled out for 104 with five overs unused.

Obviously the pitch was the problem for the batsmen as Walshaw quickly found out when the game finally started. They lost their early order big guns in falling to 82-8, only Glen Stephens

(25) and Danny Hornby (22) managing to get the scoreboard moving before Danny Holland came in to hit 22, including two sixes.

Steve White was the major danger to the Walshaw batsmen, taking 5-42, while for the home side, Rob Faulkner was the pick of the bowlers with 5-29.

The two other games played both ended in draws.

Adlington hit 177-3 off 29 overs against Blackrod as their batsmen hit a total of ten sixes. MIke Rawlings hit five of them, plus seven 4s in an innings of 70, while Andrew Robinson (34 not out) and Duncan McNally (19 not out) both had two 6s and Matthew Taylor one in his 47.

Taylor (4-53) and Neil Woosey (3-34) then had Blackrod on the back foot but Craig Smith managed to defy them with 53 before he was last man out in their 113-8.

Lostock also scored well, hitting 142-9 off 31 overs at Clifton, Dan Cockton top scoring with 37, while Lee Wolstenholme (5-80) and Steve Holt (4-52) accounted for their wickets. In reply, Clifton never recovered from a slow start and finished on 133-7.