THERE were wins for the top three sides in the Bolton Association, but Walshaw's victory over Adlington means that they stay on course for their fourth consecutive title.

Home side Adlington batted first and started badly, standing on six runs for their first three wickets.

But after looking already beaten on 25-5, Mark Halliwell knocked a much-needed 51 that helped them reach a total of 100.

Captain Jonathan Fielding helped himself to figures of 4-34, while Brett Collins and Rob Faulkner scored three wickets each. Then an unbeaten partnership of 83 between pro Fielding and captain Faulkner took Walshaw to an eight wicket win, after Adlington had seen a glimmer of hope bagging two early wickets.

Spring View, currently in second place, also grabbed a comfortable victory, as they beat Blackrod by 69 runs.

Skipper Paul Matthews made 49 as Spring View scored 182-6. Blackrod's reply was hampered by an astonishing seven-wicket haul for Iain Critchley, which left them 113 all out.

Little Hulton won by eight wickets at Lostock, thanks to the bowling of Mark Penney, who took five scalps, and the batting of Mike Edwards and Paul Craig, who hit 51 and 47 respectively.

Bottom of the table Daisy Hill were beaten by nine wickets against Clifton thanks to a 90-plus partnership by G Griffiths and A Griffiths, with the former hitting 72.

Although Neil Bannister had made 31 for Daisy, his side were restricted by Dave Parkinson's 6-37.

Edgworth were beaten by Golborne, after making just 103 thanks to the bowling of Graham Marston, who took seven wickets.

Marston then hit 42 not out to see Golborne win by five wickets.

Elsewhere Darcy Lever's wicket-keeper John Norris was the star of the show as he took one catch and four stumpings to restrict Atherton to 179-6.

Carl Brown and Phil Wakefie

ld had both hit 40-plus scores, but Dominic Gavin took 5-63. In reply Nick Fawcett made 83, while Neilesh Patel hit 42 not out. Mihir Diwakar took four wickets, but Darcy won by three wickets and with 16 overs to spare.

In the remaining game of the day, Astley & Tyldesley beat Standish by six wickets, with Khan just shy of a century on 94 not out, aided by former Standish pro Tripathi.

Steven Walsh had earlier restricted home side Standish to 132 all out with four wickets.