Walkden, the Bolton League's indoor cricket champions, have added another title and taken a further step towards national final glory at Lord's.

They won the Lancashire Cricket Board indoor final at Old Trafford for a fourth consecutive year, beating another Bolton League side, Astley Bridge, in the final.

They now go forward to play the winners of the Derbyshire finals on Sunday when victory would put them through to the the North of England finals, the final qualifier for Lord's.

In Sunday's LCB finals Walkden were comfortable winners of the first semi-final, beating MSJ from West Manchester League by 60 runs.

They totalled 154-5 with Mike Bennison 35, Dave Smith 25 not out and Phil Ingram 34 before dismissing their opponents for 94.

Astley Bridge, runners-up to Walkden in the Bolton finals, were pushed all the way in their preliminary round by Alderley Edge, the match finishing in a tie but Bridge going through by virtue of losing fewer wickets.

Anthony Clegg 33 not out and Danny Guest 33 not out were the main runs providers for Bridge in their total of 96-4, after the Cheshire side finished on the same score but with five wickets down.

In the semi-final Bridge came up against Rapid CC and in a thrilling game edged home on the last ball when Clegg scored the two runs needed for victory.

Rapid were held at 123-4, William Halton 2-15, before Bridge replied with 124-5, Clegg left alone at the wicket but finishing with an unbeaten 48.

The meeting of the two Bolton sides was the fourth time they have met in an indoor final.

Batting first, Walkden scored 142-2 in a an excellent batting display, Bennison 31, Ingram 25 not out, John Smith 25 not out and Rob Slater 24 not out.

Phil Ingram then gave his side the start they needed when Bridge batted, with a tight spell that included a number of dot balls, an unsual occurence in the indoor game.

Top batsmen for Bridge were Halton with 27 and Phil Watkinson 20 but their all out total of 104 was still 38 runs adrift of the target.