Horwich will not win the championship this season but they played a crucial role on Saturday with a win that shook up the leading contenders.

Their six wicket success over leaders Kearsley was the only game to produce a winning result and that enabled Walkden to draw level at the top of the table.

Grant Long, pro David White, and Dominic McKeown were Horwich's key players. Between them they took nine wickets and then Long made sure of the win with an innings of 75 not out,

Kearsley's woes began with a poor batting performance that ended with them all out for 131.

Of that Jordan Thornley was unbeaten on 50 but the rest were troubled by the bowling of White and Long. The pro finished with 5-41 while Long had 3-52.

Long's innings then set up the win with help from McKeown, who hit 21 as the Kearsley bowling attack, weakened with the departure of Fasel Akber back to Pakistan, caused little trouble for the home batsmen.

Weather beaten

Walkden would have taken over top spot but for the weather.

They frustratingly fell four runs short of a win over bottom club Farnworth after rain interruptions had left them with only 16 overs to better the visitors' total of 110.

John Smith had set up the chance of victory by taking six wickets for 34 then his brother David led the runs chase hitting 49 with Matt Parkinson adding 34 in reaching 107-4.

Eagley declared their innings at 161-6 four overs early against Egerton to try and give their bowlers a chance to use the ball.

The recent bad weather has given them little bowling practice over the last few games and they badly needed a run-out before yesterday's Hamer Cup final against Westhoughton but it was the same old story on Saturday when the game was called off in the second over of Egerton's innings.

Earlier Shahid Mahboob 59 and pro Ian Mitchell had rescued Eagley when they put on a 110 partnership after two wickets had fallen with only one run on the board. Martin Seddon then took the score on with an unbeaten 25.

The Bradshaw-Astley Bridge game ended with the home side 126-6, Mark Gwilt testing the Bridge bowlers with an unbeaten 50.

Another game to be ruined by the weather came at Farnworth Social Circle, where play ended after Greenmount had totalled 220-6, Saeed Anwar 75 and Neil Earing 62. Little Lever might not be having the best of seasons but two of their younger players gave them hope for the future with starring roles in a rain affected draw with Westhoughton.

First, 15-years-old Adam Worrall topped scored with 49 as Lever totalled 150-7 then when the rain forced Westhoughton into a runs chase, another teenager, Paul Tonge picked up five wickets for 30 runs.

The game finally ended with Westhoughton 110-7 off 18 overs, Steve Parker top scoring with 49.

Heaton also showed that they have no shortage of talent among their younger players in the game against Tonge.

Gareth Carson and Simon Booth, Two of their under 18s players, rescued them from 38-4 with an unbeaten partnership of 62 that took them to 100-4 before the rain came down. Carson finished on 39 not out and Booth 25 not out.

Earlier Tonge totalled 168-6 with Dion Taljard unbeaten on 62 and Simon Anderton 50,