JACK Shovelton's eight-wicket haul inspired Adlington to a remarkable seven-wicket victory against Flixton.

Last year's champions only lasted 19 overs as Shovelton bowled his 27th wicket of the season to dismissed them for 77.

Luke Perry – one of the league's most prolific batsmen – was dismissed for just 27.

Iain Critchley led the reply hitting 36 not out and Simon Trim added 26 as the Huyton Road side achieved the set target to the loss of only three wickets.

The win means Adlington close the gap on the top six, and also puts a dent in second-placed Flixton's title hopes.

That result will certainly please the league-leaders Edgworth who returned to winning ways against Swinton Moorside after the previous weekends abandonment.

The early-pacesetters brought in deputy professional Chris Holt following Chris Read's nasty injury the previous weekend, and he wasted no time in making his mark on the side by scoring 55 with the bat.

Jack Wood's five-wicket haul for 34 – topped with Brad Palmer's 3-34 dismissed the Bolton Road side for 179.

Frequent high-scorers Swinton would have been confident they could reach the target, especially when James Wade (36) showed them the way with the bat. But Holt (3-30) and Chris Tye (3-15) had them dismissed for 140, consequently dropping them to fourth place in the table.

Elsewhere, Atherton are up to seventh after a convincing win against Little Hulton.

Adam Newton, Nekoli Parris and Hugh Husbands all top-scored with 19 apiece as Little Hulton achieved a total of 141. Joshua Gilluley and Tom Mather impressed with the ball with figures of 4-44 and 4-31 respectively.

Dale Tyrer (49no) and Callum Barlow (43) put on an 85-run opening stand as Atherton responded to the loss of four wickets – which were all taken by Husbands for 51 runs.

Bury rose to third – only 27 points behind Edgworth - following their comfortable home win against Golborne.

Ciaran Vesey top-scored with 65 for the Lowton outfit as they posted 147-9. Neil Tong (4-39) and Matt Smalley (3-32) did the damage with the ball.

Simon Belston led the reply knocking 63 and the comeback was completed when Ashen Silva scored 40 not out to achieve the target with the loss of three wickets.

Walshaw's dreadful form continued against Winton as they fell to an eight-wicket defeat.

With only one win in their last five games, the Sycamore Road side opened the batting with Ally Dickson who scored 57 and Tom Murphy who knocked 38. But as the overs expired they totalled 218-7 – captain Will Driver did the most damage with the ball bowling 4-67.

Brett Cox struck 57 in reply, but the partnership of Driver (83no) and Australian Kyle Humphrys (47no) saw off the total for the loss of two wickets.

Bowling took centre stage at Standish as they suffered a narrow defeat to Worsley.

Chris Gunn (4-44), Sam Heeley (3-31) and Ben Dowling (3-38) were in impressive form as they dismissed their visitors for 135. Nicholas Goldsmith (49) and Schaughn Van Greunen (42) top-scored with the bat.

Dowling turned his hand to the bat and knocked 23 but that was as good as it got for Standish who could not handle the bowling attack of James Kilner (3-37), David Purcell (3-29) and Dan Henshaw (3-28) and they fell 10 runs short of the target.