CATHOLIC Sports finally recorded their first win in the 2010 John Pettit Grimsby & District Midweek Cricket League season.

The division one side enjoyed a convincing nine-wicket success over Holton-le-Clay Exiles in week nine of the competition.

And in doing so Catholic lifted themselves off the foot of the table.

HLC batted first and lost wickets at regular intervals. Only Langford (34) managed to make any impression at all.

He fell to Clifton (four for 12) who also rattled through the middle order and left HLC reeling on 79 all out.

Chasing a small total can sometimes breed complacency and in a team that has failed to win all year, nerves might have been a problem.

But there were no problems. Openers Barlow (27) and Hughes (42no) flew out of the traps.

Their partnership was only broken once the finishing post was in sight.

The winning run came from the last ball of the ninth over.

In the only other top-flight clash, Western Old Boys took on Waltham Millers, who managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Western batted first and after a couple of early losses Kris Richardson (45) and Paul Ridley (56) put on a stand of 83, the team finishing on 133 for five.

The Millers got off to a flyer in reply, with Mick Hanson (26) and Rich Griffin (33) taking the score to 72 for one off ten overs.

The introduction of Mick Barton (four for 26) and Ian Hallam (three for 22) dragged Western back into the game.

As the overs began to run out the wickets tumbled and the scoring rate dropped dramatically.

And the Millers relinquished their strong position and closed 14 runs short.

The race for the division two title is becoming more and more difficult to call with each passing week.

Only three points separate the top five positions.

Emplex managed to beat fellow title challengers Phoenix 1sts at home at Augusta Street.

The home side scored freely with Scott (33) and Cocks (43) putting on 77 for the first wicket, followed by good knocks from Chandrasekera (58), Maddock (27) and M Meadows (32).

This propelled the team to a huge 207 for six from 20 overs.

Phoenix recovered from the loss of an early wicket as Faizal (42) and Jafri (48) put on a useful partnership.

When this pair fell, though, the run rate slowed.

Despite 35 from Sudeka, Emplex ran out comfortable winners by 36 runs.

Grimsby Town Pumas are the new leaders of division two thanks to a 35-run victory over bottom club Old Clee.

Opening bat Chris Waters set the tone with 60 before falling to Andy Hale (two for 17).

Dave Taylor provided vital support with 26 before the Pumas closed on 116 for five from 16 overs.

Now the hard work began for the Pumas as they had to defend this total with only eight men – which makes White's bowling figures of 4-2-6-1 even more remarkable.

Old Clee could only muster 81 for three at stumps with Bloomer (28) and Pexman (39no) the top scorers.

Eddie Carlton continued his recent great form with 75 runs for Wilkin Chapman BWT in their home game vs PO Milan 1 – but it wasn't enough to stop his side slipping to an eight-wicket defeat.

Carlton and Robinson (32) scored the majority of their side's 143 for four.

The run chase was anchored by K Parker whose 43no.

Boryszczuk (28) kept the Posties in the hunt and going into the last two overs they required 24 runs to win.

Impressively, Andy Holmes smashed the runs required and still had three balls to spare as his swashbuckling 48no finally swung the game to the visitors.

The individual bowling performance of the week came in the One Medical 1sts v Willy's Cleethorpes game where Ullah bagged six wickets for the home side as they ran out winners.

He was given a good total to defend by opener Baty, who carried his bat for 73no.

Chandika provided solid support with 32 and even though G Cowlam (two for 22) bowled well, the hosts setting an imposing victory target of 157.

After MacFarlane (two for 28) bagged a couple of key wickets early on, Ullah took over and ensured Willys were always up against it.

Five of his six dismissals were bowled; he only conceded 23 runs and Willys were all out for 124 in the 17th over.

The two favourites for promotion clashed in division three as Harvest Moon entertained the unbeaten Punjab Lions.

The Lions elected to bat and as is now almost customary, Indi Hayre (77no, with seven fours and 4four sixes) and Indi Sandhu (72, with ten fours) dominated the innings.

They put on 166 for the first wicket and were only separated by a late run out.

Hayre now has an average of 199 in midweek cricket this season.

The Moon made a decent attempt at chasing this daunting total, with Gav Turner (22) and Roger Bentley (31) top-scoring.

But there was never a realistic chance of the Moon winning once they departed.

And late wickets for Udi Sheikh (two for 19) and Vishnu (two for two) kept the final total down to 94 for seven.

Humberston Blossom Way ran out winners against Bradley Old Boys in their game at Immingham.

Wild (50) and Skipworth (33) led HBW's 107 for six from 20 overs. They both fell to Clarke (two for 22).

The Bradley run chase looked to be on target when Childs (32) and Donaghue (26) were at the crease, but their dismissals led to a huge collapse featuring three run outs.

Two wickets apiece for A Bagnall and Wild added to the misery for the Old Boys and they were all out off the last ball of the innings for 101.

HENDRY Electrical remain second in Division Four after overcoming Westlands by seven wickets.

Andy Todd dismantled the Westland's top-order with a spell of 5-1-13-3 which included the wicket of Powell (17).

Tommy Watson held the hosts' innings together with 36no, but stalwart Andy Pearson (5-0-17-2) held Westlands to 98 for seven.

In reply, Hendry lost their third wicket when Mick Osborne (5-1-15-2) bowled Williams for 11.

Opener Darren Gamwell (46no) and Lynch (26no) secured victory with an over to spare.

Tetney's opening bowlers John Zielinski (2-0-6-1) and D Khan (4-1-11-1) put their side on top with early wickets against Grainthorpe.

C Elvidge made 11 before falling to Brad Pedersen (5-0-17-2), while a stand between P Chapman (20) and N Pridgeon (22), who was dismissed by A Fisher (2-0-17-2), gave the innings some momentum.

M Stapleton added 11 before be was caught and bowled by Paul Shawcross (3-0-15-2), as Grainthorpe closed on 107 for nine, with D Callanan unbeaten on 13.

Tetney opened their reply with J McGregor, who made ten and the in-form Jack Harrison, pictured, who hit a peerless 64 before he was dismissed.

Dean Jackin (15no) guided the leaders home to an eight-wicket win in the 12th over.

A SUPERB unbeaten century set up Keelby's 101-run victory over division five rivals Norfolk Line.

Matthew Bevis, the in-form man with the bat, lost his fellow opener S Robson when he was caught off S Arundel (5-0-30-2) for 35.

Keelby lost their third wicket when Danny Bevis also went for 35, but M Bevis, pictured, remained unbeaten on 100 as Keelby closed on 191 for four.

Norfolk Line were never really in the hunt as they lost early wickets to J Smith (5-0-19-1), P Fytche (4-1-15-2) and P Briggs (3-1-18-2).

The only batsmen to reach double figures were Moran (12) and N Arundel (19), while M Phillips (4-1-12-4) destroyed the lower middle-order.

John Indian (1.5-0-5-1) took the final Norfolk Line wicket in the 18th over, with their score on 90. Keeper D Bevis completed a fine game with two stumpings and a catch.

Clee United Old Boys made it five consecutive wins with a seven-wicket triumph over Stallingborough.

Stallingborough's top-scorer was Bruce Roberts, who was bowled for 32 by Graham Hackney, who also accounted for Andy Howard (14).

Trevor Crofts chipped in with 18 and Neville Crofts made 12no, while Trevor Church playing in his 330th midweek game took three for 31 from five overs, as Stallingborough made 99 for eight.

Clee opener Phil Merrisou scored 48, before Hackney (19no) and Richard Hull (8no) completed the victory in the 18th over.

Post Office Milan 2nds took a step closer to winning the division six title after an imperious innings from Glyn Benbow gave them a six-wicket win over Phoenix 2nds.

Phoenix lost their first wicket with 20 on the board when Gareth Cook was dismissed for 14 in the fourth over.

Jason Stead and Derek Ward added 16 and ten respectively.

Tim Tait struck a fine 43 before falling to Paul Cape-Melboume (5-0-39-3).

Three well-judged catches by Martin Burke saw the visitors lose their way but an unbeaten ninth-wicket stand of 22 by Craig Dickson (27no) and Andy Dulieu (8no) gave Phoenix a total of 133 for eight.

The Posties began their reply with a 65-run opening stand between Benbow and Nathan Stannard (17), who fell in the 10th over.

Six overs later, Tim Gillott (4-0-18-1) bowled Benbow for a match-winning 86, that included three sixes a 3d 12 fours, with the score on 122.

Soon after, Nev Stone was run out for 11, but with scores of four not out Andy Currie and Wayne Hanson saw the Posties home with nine balls to spare.

CSSC Emplex batted first in their game with One Medical 2nds and made a strong start, losing their first wicket when Karl Sykes (26) was bowled by Chris Horsfall (5-0-36-2).

Fellow opener Jeff Hutchinson continued to dispatch the bowlers to all parts of the ground while Adam King destroyed the middle-order with a five-wicket burst.

Amongst King's (5-1-28-5) victims were Kyle Sykes (20) and eventually Hutchinson for an excellent 80 as CSSC Emplex closed on 161 for eight.

One Medical lost their openers, Hawkins (15) and Scales (nine), relatively cheaply. Moore (45 not out) and Thompson (67) staged a recovery and their stand gave One Medical a six-wicket win with a ball to spare.

Healing RBL remain ensconced in second place in division seven after defeating Oasis Academy by two wickets.

Darren Burchall (55) and Steve Owen (27) dominated the Oasis scoring with a good second-wicket partnership that came to an end when Winship dismissed both batsmen in a fine spell of 5-1-10 3.

Ballard then chipped in with three for five from two overs to leave Oasis Academy's final total on 99 for eight.

Healing lost early wickets to the new-ball paining of Cox (5-1-19-3) and Scott (5-0-42-2), who removed opener Winship for 13.

A mid-order recovery then occurred for the home side with Parker making 19 before falling to Owen (4-0-15-1), while Irvine and Cheeseman scored 28 and 11 respectively before Burchall (4-1-17-2) dismissed both men.

Ballard (nine not out) then guided Healing home with two overs in hand.

Whitgift made a good start in their game with Huntsman Hotspurs, who eventually claimed their first wicket when Lee Melin (4-0-11.1) bowled Richard Baithwaite for 36.

That proved to be the hosts only loss as Grest (56 not out) and Offler (12 not out) gave Whitgift a total of 116 for one off 20 overs.

A second-wicket stand between Dave Chesman (29) and Smith (29) put the Hotspurs on the road to recovery, while Melin (24) continued the journey until he was dismissed in an unusual manner – hit wicket against Chris Nichols (1-0-8-2).

After 16 overs, Matt Cooley (13 not out) secured Huntsman Hotspurs five-wicket win.

In a 16-over game, Corinthian Jedis were held to 71 for seven by leaders 3Q at Butt Lane.

3Q's opening bowlers Howard (4-1-6-1) and Allau (4-1-15-2) again returned frugal figures for the home side.

The only Jedis to make a significant contribution were Kelly Drewery (21) and M Firth (15), who was dismissed by Pete Rose (4-0-20-2).

The table-toppers were in dire straits at the start of their innings with Holliday (4-0-17-3) and Drewery (4-0-16-2) putting the Jedis on top, of the top six only Kev Cook (ten) reached double figures.

Bowlers Allan (25 not out) and Howard (21 not out) came to the rescue, however, to clinch a four-wicket victory for 3Q in the 13th over.

Honours List Week Nine

BATTING: M Bevis, Keelby, 100no; G Benbow, Post Office Milan 2, 86; J Hutchinson, CSSC Emplex, 80; Indi Hayre, Punjab Lions, 77no; E Carlton, BWT, 75; Baty, One Medical 1, 73no; Indi Sandhu, Punjab Lions, 72; Thompson, One Medical 2, 67; J Harrison, Tetney, 64; Waters, Grimsby Town Pumas, 60; Chandrasekera, Emplex, 58; D Grest , Whitgift, 56no; P Ridley, Western OB, 56; D Burchall, Oasis Academy, 55; Wild, Humberston BW, 50; P Merrison, Clee United OB, 48; D Gamwell, Hendry Electrical, 46 not out ; Moore, One Medical 2, 45; T Tait, Phoenix 2, 43.

BOWLING: Ullah, One Medical 1, 5-0-23-6; A King, One Medical 2, 5-1-28-5; M Phillips, Keelby, 4-1-12-4; Clifton, Catholic Sports, 3.1-0-12-4; Barton, Western OB, 5-0-26-4.