ELTON, Little Hulton and Edgworth maintained their 100 per cent records in dramatic style in the Bolton Association on Saturday.

The trio share top spot after memorable matches which saw Edgworth smash their ground's all-time runs record, and the other two teams celebrate one-run victories by taking a wicket with the final ball.

Edgworth beat the previous record total scored at their ground of 281, which they recorded against Spring View only a fortnight ago, when they blasted 307-5 against Golborne, stand-in pro Asif Hussein crashing an unbeaten 150 which included 13 sixes.

Graham Marston took three of those wickets and hit 48 in Golborne's reply of 209.

It was the most dramatic finish at Elton where Atherton were kicking themselves at failing to inflict the first defeat of the season on the Bury side.

Chasing 231-8 - Dexter Fitton 52, John Pemberton 53; Ian Nuttall 4-63 - Atherton were put into a brilliant position with a captain's performance by Neil Bannister, who hit 104, and a knock of 89 by professional Chris Street.

Needing just 11 runs from three overs with five wickets remaining, there only looked to be one winner. But Elton are not champions for nothing and they took the next four wickets for nine runs. David Baines needed to score two off the last ball to win the game, one to tie, but Elton took his wicket to seal victory. Pro Steve Dearden was their star with a seven-wicket haul.

"It was a hard pill to swallow and the Elton lads said we deserved more out of the game," said Bannister. "We can take heart from going so close because Elton are the best team and it was a great game of cricket."

The story was virtually identical at Little Hulton where Spring View's Paul Matthews needed to score two off the last ball to win the game only to be trapped lbw. Luke Parry scored 104 and deputy pro Jannisar Khan hit 116 in Little Hulton's 266-3.

Pro Arindam Sarkar replied with 88 and Brett Collins was 84 not out at the dramatic conclusion.

It was a day to celebrate for Blackrod, last season's bottom club, who inflicted a first defeat on Darcy Lever with their opening win of the new campaign.

Blackrod whittled out the home side for 122, Neil Tong taking 4-23 and his brother Paul claiming another three wickets.

Pro Shiv Vidyut played his part for Darcy with 58 but he had no support and Blackrod finished the job with 13 overs remaining, Paul Tong seeing the game out with a quick-fire 27 no.

Walshaw got their first win with Rob Faulkner and Jason Whittaker doing the business yet again for the Bury side, who put on 140 for the first wicket. Faulkner hit 71 and pro, Vinit Indulkar, in his first game following his delayed arrival from India, scoring 61.

Michael Crookson took 6-64 for Standish before Faulkner matched his six-wicket haul, at a cost of one more run, and Whittaker took 4-73 as the home side were all out 33 runs short.

Astley and Tyldesley inflicted a third straight defeat on Adlington with a comfortable 43-run victory.

Matthew Cutt scored 52 and pro David Bernard hit 46 in A&T's 237, Parvez Suma taking 4-76. Nick Bowden was the game's top scorer with 72 in Adlington's reply.