THREE weeks into the summer programme and the men's league faced the biggest challenge of all from the weather.

Several of the shale court matches were abandoned, and in Men's Division 1, the weather and Lostock 'A' broke the three-way split at the top as Holcombe Brook S.C. drop into second place.

South College 'A' continued their pursuit of the title with a competent 7-2 win over Hawkshaw 'A'. Having played three top-flight matches, this remarkable team now go clear at the top.

Climbing from the depths are Lostock 'A' who broke their duck with a reassuring win at Tyldesley 'A'. Top couple Coyne/Robinson set the best example by winning all three helping the team to a good 8-1 win.

At the top of Division 2 South College 'B' visited joint top team Leigh C.C.'A' and subjected them a 71/2-11/2 mauling.

With half the Division 3 matches abandoned, Barrow Bridge 'B' went top.

Prospering under their new name, Elton Vale 'A' keep hold of Division 4 with an easy home win against Ellesmere 'B' allowing their visitors a drawn game only.

Markland Hill 'C' and 'D' teams started this week sharing Division 4 leadership with two other teams.

The 'Hill 'C' team elected to play against David Lloyd (Manchester) 'B', soundly beating them 8-1 and now share top spot with Elton and their 'D' team abandoning against Longsight Meths 'A' puts them third.

A late match card for South College 'C' and Guildhall allows Lostock 'C' to move into Division 6 top spot by virtue of the single point they receive for an abandoned game.

Division 7 is already looking to be a two horse race with Leigh C.C.'D' just leading Markland Hill 'E' by one point.

Grim statistics underlie this weeks Men's tennis with over 40% of 30 scheduled Monday matches abandoned and one unfinished.

In junior tennis, Tyldesley 'A' efficiently dispensed with last year's champs Markland Hill 'A' in an exciting match.

Junior Division 2's top two 'A' teams from David Lloyd (Manchester) and Lostock both had whitewash scores.

Division 1: South College 'A' 7, Hawkshaw 'A' 2; Holcombe Brook S.C.'A' 0, Markland Hill 'A' 0; Tyldesley 'A' 1, Lostock 'A' 8. Division 2: Leigh C.C.'A' 1.5, South College 'B' 7.5; Longsight Meths 'A' 6, Bradshaw 'A' 2; Walmer 'A' 5, C. C. Walmersley 4; Claremont 1, Leigh C.C.'B' 8. Division 3: MarkH'B' 5.5, Next Generation (Chorley) 3.5; Lostock 'B' 4.5, BarBr'A' 4.5; Hawkshaw 'B' 0, Holcombe Brook S.C.'B' 0; Walkers 'A' 0, Lowton 'A' 0; Walkers 'A' 0, Next Gen 0. Division 4: Elton Vale S.C. 'A' 8.5, Ellesmere 'B' .5; Markland Hill 'D' 0, Longsight Meths 'B' 0; David LMan 'B' 1, Markland Hill 'C' 8; Barrow Bridge 'B' 0, Bolton C.C. 0. Division 5: Bradshaw 'B' 4.5, Eagley 'A' 4.5; Leigh C.C.'C' 5, Winton 4; Meadow Hill 0, Walmer 'B' 0. Division 6: Lostock 'D' 8, A&T 1; Harwood C.C. 0, Lostock 'C' 0; Chorley 6.5, Walkers 'B' 2.5. Division 7: Lowton 'B' 0, EltVS.C. 'B' 0; Eagley 'B' 0, Leigh C.C.'D' 0; Walmer 'C' 9, DavidLBol 0; MarkH'E' 7, Haw'C' 2; David LBol 7.5, Lowton 'B' 1.5. Division 8: Barrow Bridge 'C' 0, Walmer 'D' 0; Holcombe Brook S.C.'E' 0, Bradshaw 'C' 0; Hawk'D' 0, Holcombe Brook S.C.'D' 0. Junior Division 1: Leigh C.C.'A' 9, Holcombe Brook S.C. 'A' 3; Tyldesley 'A' 6.5, Markland Hill 'A' 5.5; Hawkshaw 'A' 10, Ellesmere 2. Division 2: Eagley 3, Brad'A' 9; Walmer 0, Lostock 'A' 12; Markland Hill 'B' 0, David Lloyd (Manchester) 'A' 12. Division 3: Lostock 'B' 8.5, Leigh C.C.'B' 3.5; David Lloyd (Bolton) 12, Hawkshaw 'C' 0. Division 4: Lostock 'C' 8.5, St Josephs' 'B' 3.5; Bradshaw 'B' 5, Leigh C.C.'C' 7; David Lloyd (Manchester) 'B' 2, Tyldesley 'B' 10.

Men's League Divisional Cups - 1st Round for May 27, Divisions 1&2: SouthCol'A' v MarkH'A' (9); Lostock 'A' v David L Man'A' (9); LongMs 'A' (15) v Ell'A'; Bradshaw 'A' (6) v Leigh C.C.'B'; Holcombe Brook S.C. 'A' v Leigh C.C.'A' (17); Byes SCol'B', Walmer 'A', C. C. Walmersley. Divisions 3&4: MarkH'B' v Bolton C.C. (19); Hawkshaw 'B' v Elton Vale 'A' (15); HolcBr S.C. 'B' (6) v Barrow Bridge 'A'; Lostock 'B' (3) v Walkers 'A'; Lowton 'A' v Longsight Meths 'B' (13); Elles'B' (6) v Barrow Bridge 'B'; Next Gen v MarkH'C' (13); Bye MarkH'D'. Divisions 5&6: A&T (9) v HarC.C.; Walmer 'B' v Chorley (16); Winton v Guildhall (15); Leigh C.C.'C' v HolcBrS.C. 'C' (21); South Col'C' v Walkers 'B' (3); Eagley 'A' v Lostock 'C' (12); Byes Bradshaw 'B', Lostock 'D'. Divisions 7&8: Hawk'D' (6) v Holcombe Brook S.C. 'E'; Elton Vale 'B' v Barrow Br'C' (15); Hawk'C' (3) v Walmer 'C'; Eagley 'B' (18) v Mark Hill 'E'; Brad'C' (18) v David L (Bol); Walmer 'D' v Elles'C' (3); Leigh C.C.'D' v Holcombe Brook S.C. 'D' (17); Bye Lowton 'B'. Mixed League Cecil Cup Preliminary Round: Walmer 'B' 64, Walmer 'C' (33) 66; Leigh CC 'B' (60) 70, Leigh CC 'A' 72; MarkH'F' (52) 66, Brad'A' 72; Next Gen'B' (52) 71, Lostock 'A' 63; Longsight Meths 'A' (29) 63, Markland Hill 'A' 66; Vulcan 41, Markland Hill 'E' (47) 87; Hawkshaw 'A' 67, Longsight Meths 'B' (36) 57; Elton Vale 'A' (30) 75, Walkers 46; Lostock 'D' 65, Hawkshaw 'D' (32) 70; Next Generation 'A' (35) 102, Bolton CC 35. League Division 4: Har 45, Los'C' 61; HolcBr'C' 36, Hawk'C' 72.

Cecil Cup First Round fixtures and handicaps for Sunday 26th May 2002 Bolton School 'A' v Bolton School 'B' (18); CC Walmersley v Elton Vale 'A' (34); Eagley v Holcombe Brook 'D' (51); Harwood CC (12) v Lostock 'C'; Hawkshaw 'A' v David Lloyd Bolton (59); Hawkshaw 'B' v Bradshaw 'A' (25); Hawkshaw 'C' (31) v Barrow Bridge 'A'; Hawkshaw 'D' (6) v Barrow Bridge 'B'; Holcombe Brook 'C' (30) v David Lloyd M/C 'B'; Leigh CC 'A' v Walmer 'C' (67); Lostock 'B' (32) v David Lloyd M/C 'A'; Markland Hill 'B' v Walmer 'A' (15); Markland Hill 'C' (25) v Markland Hill 'A'; Markland Hill 'E' (29) v Markland Hill 'D'; Next Generation 'A' v Elton Vale 'B' (51); Next Generation 'B' v Meadow Hill (18).