GOTHAM Narayanan was the hero of Bolton as they lifted the H C Smith Cup, the prized knockout competition in the Surridge Sport Manchester Association.

Bolton scrambled to a thrilling one-wicket last-ball win over Stretford at Wythenshawe, Narayanan making an unbeaten 54, leaving skipper Paul Hindley saying: "You just couldn't write the script for the finish."

League leaders Stretford had made a useful 194-7 off their 40 overs, on the back of 48 by ex-Lancashire wicketkeeper Jamie Haynes, 41 from South African Craig Williams and 37 by Chris Turner - the latter two putting on 62 for the first wicket.

And when skipper Chris Barlow came in to hit a quick 35, including two big sixes, Bolton looked to have it all to do.

They certainly struggled in their reply, but Narayan held the innings together as wickets fell at the other end at regular intervals in the face of a 4-24 by Williams.

That left six needed off the last over bowled by Haynes with two wickets in hand. Narayan scrambled a leg bye off the first ball, Ian Eccleshare was caught off the second - and Hindley came in to get a single off the third.

Narayanan failed to score off the fourth and fifth deliveries, but smashed the sixth for a tremendous straight boundary to send the Bolton boys wild with delight.

"Gotham was outstanding," said skipper Hindley. "He really had to middle that last shot."

FARNWORTH need just six points from their last two games to complete the big double in the Warburtons Bolton League.

The recent winners of the Hamer Cup edged to a two-wicket win at home to Astley Bridge on Saturday, thanks to a half-century by West Indian professional Brenton Parchment, then toppled Bradshaw by 42-runs yesterday - Parchment taking five wickets.

Horwich run-machine Grant Long, who recently set the League's individual record run haul, was at it again with 98 against Egerton and 77 against Astley Bridge.

Those scores enabled Grant to reach the 1,000 mark in a season for an astonishing seventh time.

GLENN Batticcotto predictably won the race to one landmark in the Anthony Axford Bolton Association - and Jonathan Fielding is on the verge of another.

Batticciotto, Australian professional with Standish, made 53 in the 111-run defeat of Lostock to reach 1,795 runs for the season, passing Bazid Khan's 2003 record when with Astley and Tyldesley.

And Fielding, long-serving professional with Walshaw, took 8-57 in the 27-run defeat of Spring View to reach the 99-wicket mark - three more than Faisal Alfredi of Daisy Hill, who could manage only a couple this week.

That puts Walshaw five points clear with a game in hand of Darcy Lever, with only four games left.

DENTON St Lawrence scored a three-wicket win over Prestwich to join the champions at the top of the Lees Brewery Lancashire County League.

Prestwich pro Craig Duxbury hit 54, but Steve Dublin pulled off a 5-10 return to pave the way for a nervous run chase.

Both sides now have 87 points with three games left - but they will still be looking over their shoulders at Denton.

The Egerton Street side are five points further back after a 139-run romp at Roe Green, whose prolific professional Paul Green hit 92 out of his side's meagre 132.

SADDLEWORTH and Bamford Fieldhouse look set for a titanic title decider on the last game of the season in the Per-Fit Windows Saddleworth League.

Saddleworth stay on top with 103 points but they made hard work of a 13-run defeat of Shaw, who chased just 147 but fell short in the face of a 7-35 return by Aussie pro Peter Skuse.

Bamford, meanwhile, cut the lead to just two points after a 68-run waltz at Droylsden, where Jimmy Horrox's unbeaten 120, and 92 by Lawrence O'Brien, set up a total of 231-1.

Next Sunday, Bamford are at home to Friarmere while Saddleworth make the journey to play Austerlands.

And victories for both will set up the showdown at Well-i-Hole on September 11. Tweet