Iqbal upstaged on day of celebration IT was meant to be day of celebration for Tonge's star pro Iqbal Sikander but for once the show was stolen by the supporting players.

The Castle Hill club laid on a Saturday night bash to mark Iqbal's seven year professional reign and also their two wicket success over Greenmount in the afternoon.

For that, they were indebted to the services of others, Ian Taylor taking the bowling honours with a seven wicket haul followed by a match-winning batting show by Kevin Kirkpatrick.

Greenmount were dismissed for 136, Taylor finishing with 7-89, Iqbal claiming the other three wickets to fall for 25.

In reply, Mark Stewart led Greenmount's bowling attack and quickly started to pick up wickets to reduce Tonge to 103-8, which was effectively for nine wickets following an injury to Nigel Hallows.

That brought the best out of Kirkpatrick but it was a tall order as his side needed 16 off the last two overs to win.

He whittled that down to seven needed from the last and a six off the first ball of that led the way to Tonge's winning 137-8, Kirkpatrick finishing unbeaten on 24.

Mike Bennison and John Smith engineered Walkden's 84 run win over a disappointing Bradshaw side.

Bennison hit 60 in his side's 194-8 then Smith took over with the ball to pick up 5-47, Bradshaw slumping to 110 all out.

The battle between the two bottom clubs, Astley Bridge and Eagley ended perhaps predictably in a draw.

Eagley caused something of a surprise by choosing to bat after winning the toss.

That almost backfired on them when Ian Moss snatched the first four wickets leaving them struggling at 50-4.

They were saved by a 111 partnership from pro Brad White, who hit 74, plus 67 from Chris Lord. That hauled them to 161-5 but then 3-27 from promising leg spinner William Halton held them to 209-8.

Bridge made a storming reply as Northrop and Sher Ali took their total to 96-1 but that then became 106-5 as White started to pick up wickets.

Bridge eventually finished on 173-6 Ali hitting 63 with two sixes and eight fours while Northrop contributed 34 and White claimed three wickets for 44.

Egerton pro Neil McGarrell had a good day in a rain affected game with Heaton. He hit 64 then took three wickets for 32 off 20 overs to restrict the visitors' reply to 146-5.

Also shining for Egerton were Stuart Hornby who hit a quickfire 50 which included four sixes, and Nigel Partington 30.

Heaton's plight would have been much worse but for pro Parida. He dominated his side's batting scoring 80 before the game ended after 42 overs with Heaton having reached 146-5.

Kearsley need 30 points from four games to clinch the championship.

And with 20 points awarded for a win, one more victory will almost certainly seal matters.

On Saturday, they made quick work of Little Lever dismissing them for only 94 as pro Akber claimed 6-37 and Mel Whittle 4-28. Paul Rayment scored 43 out of that total but Kearsley completed their win in quick style with Chris Monk 30 and Darron Foy 24 not out.

Australian Danny Payne lifted Horwich spirits hitting 100 in the 114 run win at Farnworth.

With Grant Long unbeaten on 62 and David White, 40, the Horwich total of 235-5 was always too much for the home side.

They were not helped by the return to Australia of amateur Stuart Anderson, who has provided them with runs this season, and they were finally dismissed for 121, White, 3-49, Darren Preston, 3-51, Long, 2-8 and Andy Taylor, 2-5.

Westhoughton pro Bhanabhai's season looks to have come to a premature end after two cracked ribs ruled him out of his side's bowling attack against Farnworth SC.

Even so, Farnworth were held to 135-8, leaving Westhoughton to go on and claim a nine wicket win.

Mike Crookson, 4-35 and Sajid Mahboob, 3-38, provided all the problems for the Circle batsmen then skipper Steve Parker, 69 not out, Ian Pilkington, 33 not out, and Mahboob, 32, steered Westhoughton to their comfortable win.