WALSHAW were ecstatic after clinching their first ever Cross Cup victory on Sunday, but were made to work for their win against a determined Elton side.

Elton batted first and reached a total of 144, which did not look as though it would be good enough in the pleasant conditions at Clifton's Manchester Road ground.

Elton were helped to a good start with a 31 from opener Chris Reed, while Steve Lomax and Mark Goddard scored 27 and 28 respectively.

However, the biggest early shock was a golden duck for pro Chris Hall, who was caught and bowled by Walshaw youngster Lee Chapman.

Chapman had also dismissed Reed on his way to figures of 2-32, but the cream of the bowling was from Walshaw pro Jonathan Fielding, who took five wickets.

Elton made early inroads into the Walshaw order with the wickets of Harris and captain Rob Faulkner, but a big partnership between Gary Dyson and Fielding seemed to set the favourites on their way to victory.

At one point the Association league leaders stood at 65-2, but a middle-order crisis with the quick dismissals of Stevens and Brett Collins, with a controversial lbw decision, looked to have turned the tide in Elton's favour.

Walshaw crumbled to 85-5, but had plenty of overs to spare and so Danny Hornby and Riley soaked up the pressure grabbing runs here and there which again looked to have them set up for the trophy.

But once more, Elton got back in the game by breaking up the partnership as Peter Kay took his third wicket with the scalp of Hornby, and the game became even more tantalisingly poised on 143-8 when Caunce was caught out by the sub Lee Hamnett.

But Ashley Parkinson scored the winning runs with a boundary, signalling scenes of jubilation amongst the Walshaw supporters.