ASTLEY and Tyldesley professional Bazid Khan's 107 was in vain as Clifton beat them by three wickets.

Khan's contribution plus 32 from Rob Bennett helped Astley to 195 but that proved no problem for Clifton, who responded with a solid batting performance.

Andrew Griffiths hit 62, David Wild 53 not out before a 50 partnership for the eighth wicket between David Hamilton 34 and Paul Weir 27 not out took the total to 196-7.

Lostock enjoyed a 50 run win at Standish after totalliing 181-6 before dismissing the Wigan side for 131. Pro Shah top scored for the winners with 32 while 29 was a popular number as Phil Knowles, Graham Beswick and Peter Flanagan all scored that number of runs.

It has not been the best of seasons for Daisy Hill but they are now starting to make up for some early disappointments.

Two successives wins have lifted them from second from bottom and it could easily have been three had the weather not intervened a couple of weeks ago when they loooked to be in a strong position against Darcy Lever.

Saturday's win over Golborne was achieved after chasing and overhauling the home side's impressive total of 194-9.

The heroes behind the run chase were 18-year-old Mike Chilton and Duncan Brooks, who picked the side up with a 99 run partnership to win the game by four wickets. Chilton finished with 57 and Brooks 49 while earlier Graham Marston 40 and Lee Baldwin 38 were top scorers for Golborne.

Bottom placed Edgworth also picked up a win beating Spring View by 17 runs.

Pro Ahmed scored 49 in Edgworth's total of 162, which did not look good enough against a strong View batting side. Chris Locke, however, made sure they were kept in check taking 4-41 and it was only Paul Matthews' 71 that lifted Spring View almost within reach at 145.

The wins did not alter either Daisy Hill's or Edgworth's places at the bottom but at the top third placed Little Hulton exchanged places with second placed Atherton after the Lee brothers, Ian and Mark, played a major part in their 66 run win over their rivals.

Their side was stuttering along at 73-5 until the brothers came together to put on a 56 run partnership before Mike Edwards, 27, joined Ian to take the score to 173-7. Ian hit 40 and Mark 28 while Atherton pro Mihar Diwakar took 5-44.

Diwakar was also Atherton's top scorer with 20 as his opposite number Ijaz Mahmood collected 4-12 off nine overs and Andy Sutherland took 3-43 to dismiss the home side for only 110.

Another side who had to rely on a mid-order partnership to give them a respectable score were Adlington. They were struggling at 38-7 but Andrew Robinson 52 and Graham Hurst 52 not out put on 81 for a total of 143-8, Chris Hall picking up 4-53.

Elton too had a nervous start and were 14-3 and 78-6 before Graham Bushell 42 not out and Peter Lomax 25 gave them a winning seventh wicket stand that took them to 144-6.