GREENMOUNT'S title challenge stepped up a gear when they trounced Little Lever by 132 runs at Victory Road.

Batting first, Greenmount built a solid base for victory through a series of solid partnerships.

Professional Nishit Shetty top-scored with 42 before he was run out but he was well supported by Ryan Senior (28), John Ashworth (29) and an unbeaten 26 from Dave Senior.

Little Lever ran their bowlers into the ground looking for success, with Canning (4-64) and Adnan (4-84) sending down 43 overs between them.

The visitors finished on 204-9 and were confident of skittling out their opponents well short of this figure.

However, no Greenmount player or fan would admit to thinking it was to be as easy as it turned out.

Greenmount strike bowler Mark Stewart, fresh from a six wicket haul last weekend, removed opener Kerrigan for a duck and the home side never recovered.

Emerging young bowler Stuart Leach then joined in the act by removing Hilton and the game was soon slipping out of Lever's grip.

Wickets fell at regular intervals as Lever collapsed to a paltry score of 72 in the face of some fine bowling. Stewart ended with figures of 5-34 and Leach weighed in with 3-10.

The Villagers host Heaton on Saturday hoping to keep their form and lose the challenge of Westhoughton at the top of the table.