With plenty to prove following last week's defeat the Rainford attack would have been forgiven for throwing the kitchen sink at the Mawdesley batsmen, but sadly the bowling lacked any real penetration in what vice-captain Phil Curran described as a "below par performance."

Mawdesley opener Parr offered chances galore but rode his luck to score 108 out of his sides total of 215/5 with Murgatroyd (2/16) and Murtu Lodhgar (2/60) the main wicket takers.

After losing Warbrick and Tongue early the Rainford innings was rebuilt by Harrison and Lodhgar before the dismissal of Harrison left the hosts on 50/3.

Lodhgar moved imperiously onto 43 before a real body blow saw him needlessly run out and when skipper Dave Tully departed for his second successive duck Mawdesley scented victory.

But they had bargained without youngsters Michael Lambert (44) and Mark Williams (42) who between them steadied the Rainford ship and snuffed out any thoughts of successive defeats.

A last gasp run chase led by "Sandy" Hope proved fruitless as the game ended in stalemate with Rainford comfortable at 180/8.

Rainford now drop to 11th with three games remaining, a test for all the players and particularly the motivational skills of skipper Dave Tully to ensure a top twelve finish and first division cricket next season.

Match sponsor was Ralph Rigby Insurance Services.

The table topping seconds travelled to Charnock Richard with a much changed side but the result was still the same as they cruised to a seven-wicket win.

The hosts laboured to 141/7 with only former Pakistan U-21star and now local taxi-driver Sohail (48) having any answer to the Rainford attack led superbly by Haskayne (5/37) and Andy Pickavance.

The Rainford reply started smoothly but was then halted in its tracks as Maddison (25) was triggered by umpire Pickavance, but this was as good as it got for the home side as Chris Godwin (38) and Russ Miller (58no) blasted Rainford to victory.

Miller, a recent recruit from Manx club St Johns, arrived as a result of the growing links between the two clubs which will see Rainford batting legend John Williams guesting throughout 2004 on the back of a huge fund raising effort to purchase a one-way second class ticket.

Two junior finals took place on Sunday with Rainford sides prominent in both.

The U-18s destroyed Mawdesley in the Blake Trophy after posting a record 222/2 from 30 overs, Chris Tonge (92) and Graham Green (63no). Mawdesley then fell for just 97 with Mark Williams (3/21), Andrew Harrison (2/14) and that man Tongue (2/10) doing the damage.

Unfortunately the U15s couldn't match the U-18's performance as they slipped to a six-wicket defeat against Fleetwood Hesketh, a total of 110 (Lambert 56) never being enough.