SPRINGFIELD Ibwest and Blossom Way Old Boys extended their lead at the top of division one with victories in the John Pettit Grimsby & District Midweek Cricket League.

Leaders and defending champions BWOB secured a 21-run victory over Waltham Millers.

The Old Boys batted first and, with the exception of Todd (20), all the top order struggled with the bat as Shelton (three for 31) made early inroads.

A late 23 from Nigel Fanthorpe ensured that they carded a respectable 112 for seven despite the best efforts of Harvey (two for 29) and Rob Griffin (three for 28).

In reply, the Millers' top order stuttered, with both openers falling to Hodgson (two for 24).

Number four Shelton completed a fine all-round game with a knock of 32 before becoming one of Thompson's three wickets for 23 runs.

Tillison (two for 28) was also amongst the wickets and the villagers closed on 91 for eight from their 16 overs.

Springfield Ibwest made short work of their victory target of 80 against Holton le Clay Exiles.

Earlier, P Jackson had top scored with 24 as two wickets apiece for Alex Osmond, pictured, and Matt Owen restricted the visitors to 79 for six.

Osmond went on to dominate the run chase as his 52no, allied to Alex Hollamby's 20, saw Springfield to victory inside 11 overs.

They remain one point behind BWOB but with a game in hand and a superior head-to-head record.

Grimsby Pumas continue to lead the way in division two thanks to a four-wicket win against Willy's with just four balls to spare at the Stamford Club.

Willy's batted first, Chris Wragge (17) and Gary Cowlam (20) who scoring 24 off the first three overs.

The loss of Wragge to Gibbons (5-1-21-2) did put the brakes on the scoring, with even top -scorer Steve Butterfield (31) and the rest of the middle order finding the ball hard to get away.

A quick-fire 14 from Paul Sunley and 15 from Rob Cowlam at the death enabled Willy's to reach a respectable 122 for seven.

In reply, C Waters (36) was caught in the deep off Sunley (5-0-19-1).

P Taylor (27) and J Miller (16) both kept up the Pumas' required run rate but fell to G Cowlam (5-0-32-3).

T Lehman (23) brought the winning post in sight and, with three required off the last over, S Drinkell (5no) scored them off the second ball.

Two points separate the top five teams in division two with three weeks of the season remaining.

PO Milan 1 consolidated their position in third with a seven-wicket victory over fellow contenders Phoenix 1.

The Doctors batted first and struggled against the new-ball pairing of Hostad (three for 35) and Sampson (one for 12).

It wasn't until Chauhan (33no) entered the fray that a good score looked possible, but he ran out of partners before the 20 overs were up and Phoenix only posted 105 all out.

Phoenix then proceeded to use seven bowlers in an attempt to swing the game back in their favour.

Naeem had some success, dismissing both openers, but this brought A Holmes to the crease and his unbeaten 39 in tandem with Glyn Benbow's 20no guided the Posties to a seven-wicket win with 20 balls to spare.

Emplex also stayed in contention for a top-two finish with a convincing victory over Wilkin Chapman BWT.

Despite an early wicket, BWT made a solid start to their innings with Eddie Carlton (41) and Thompson (23) putting on a 45-run partnership.

This was followed by some useful late hitting from Kev Laister (25) and Hampson (20) which propelled their side to 124 for six from 20 overs.

Pick of the Emplex bowlers was P Cliffe, with two for 16 from only three overs.

Emplex's reply also lost a wicket early but Blackburn (38), Chandrasekera (57no) and Searle (22) punished the bowling attack.

BWT were short in the field due to an injury and Emplex exploited this expertly and reached the target with five overs and eight wickets to spare.

In division three, the Punjab Lions moved to within one point of mathematically securing the championship with victory over Holton le Clay Badgers.

For once, though, the Lions didn't have it all their own way and, but for an inspired bowling spell from Udi Sheikh, could well have slipped to their first defeat.

The Lions chose to bat first and found opening bowler S West in unplayable form.

He finished with figures of 4-3-4-3 which included the prize scalps of Sandhu (four) and Hayre (two).

The scoreboard was kept ticking over by Vishnu (23) and Mohammed (28) but the Lions could only struggle to 96 for nine from their 16 overs.

In reply, Hewson with 29 helped the Badgers recover from the loss of two early wickets, with Girish (three for 18) the successful bowler.

Sheikh then came into the attack and produced some spin magic to bamboozle the Badger's middle order and tail.

He finished with figures of 3.5-0-13-5, which included a hat-trick. All of his wickets were clean bowled.

The Badgers made 65 all out and a relieved Punjab lions team saved their unbeaten record.

Bradley Old Boys continued their improved form with a comfortable victory over Rovers at HLC.

The Old Boys set 116 for five with opener Donoghue (51) top scoring and Gilby backing him up with 26.

Both fell to Kershaw, who was the pick of the Rovers bowling with three for 30.

The Rovers' reply was soon in trouble as bowlers were taking wickets regularly. Pearson, Clarke and Donoghue all bagged three victims apiece as Rovers slumped to 72 all out in the 19th over.

HENDRY Electrical kept their division four aspirations alive with a last-ball victory over Grainthorpe.

Grainthorpe were given a good start by the second-wicket pairing of Pridgeon (38) and Elvidge (44), who fell to a superb catch by Craig Williams off Andy Pearson (5-0-35-2).

Lehman (5-0-30-2) picked up his second wicket when he bowled Aston for 25, as Grainthorpe closed on 133 for six.

Hendry's openers, Darren Gamwell (39) and John Battersby (29), gave their side a solid start before they were both dismissed by Chapman (5-0-36-3), who also accounted for Jamie Pearson (nine).

Elvidge (5-0-29-2) chipped in with two wickets, but man of the match Williams (30no) held his nerve and hit two off the final ball to seal a four-wicket win.

An outstanding unbroken opening partnership of 184 in just 16 overs between Lee Charlton (92no) and Mike Binns (82no) paved the way for Crystal Millennium's 79-run victory over Woodlands.

Paul Fannon top-scored in Woodlands' reply with 25 before he was caught off B Grainger (3-0-27-2), who also dismissed Nigel Walker (12).

Stuart Mulligan and Martin Robinson added 18 and 14 respectively, while an unbeaten 11 from Keith Taylor gave Woodlands a final tally of 105 for five.

Westlands reached 99 for three off 16 overs in their game with league leaders Tetney.

Bell made 22 for the visitors and fellow opener Ken Meech was bowled for 25 by Tetney's bowling pick, Paul Shawcross (4-1-15-1).

Powell saw the innings through to its conclusion with 30 no.

Westlands old boy Jack Harrison (34) and Dean Jacklin (18) both fell to Pete Manarin (3-0-26-3), before James McGregor (10no) and Joe Farmery (31no) completed the seven-wicket win for Tetney in the 15th over.

Only one game beat the weather in division fiveand it saw Crows Nest 1sts defeat Keelby by eight runs.

Crows' Lewis McDonald batted throughout the 16 overs for his 53no after losing his opening partner Paul Holmes (37) to S Robson (3-0-15-2).

Jimmy Rock added 10 as Crows Nest closed on 126 for three.

Keelby opener Matty Bevis continued with his rich vein of form, after his recent century and 90no. He led his side's chase with 60.

He received support from Robson (12) and D Bevis (15), and a 7no from A Briggs gave Keelby a total of 118 for three.

A fine all-round game from Chris Harrison set up CSSC Emplex's five-wicket win over Crows Nest 2nds in division six.

Harrison took the new ball for the visitors and dismissed the Crows' openers Tom Brierley (18) and Dave Winslow (nine), the bowler finishing with four for 20 from four overs.

Richie Hopkins struck 32 before falling to Rushby (4-0-14-1) and A Hotchin made 16no.

But with Karl Sykes (4-0-20-2) bagging two late wickets, Crows Nest closed on 96 for seven after 16 overs.

CSSC lost three early wickets in their reply, including Chris Bignell for 10.

They fought back, however, with a fourth-wicket stand between Harrison (30) and Peter Hardisty (13) and CSSC Emplex secured their victory in the penultimate over.

Meanwhile, a devastating spell from Winship set up Healing Royal British Legion's eight-wicket win over division seven rivals Huntsman Hotspurs.

Winship took six for five in just three overs.

That came after a promising start from Huntsman's openers Matt Cooley (15) and Smith (21).

Pete Rouse made the only other notable contribution, with 11, before he fell to Mumby (1.1-0-4-2), and with Irvine taking two for 17 from three overs, Huntsman were bowled out for 60 in the 16th over.

Healing lost their second wicket when T Caulfield was dismissed for 16, but soon after A Bray (32no) sealed the win in the 10th over.

Grimsby Institute lost opener Michael for 12 when he was run out, before a three-wicket burst from Corinthian Jedis new-ball bowler Collins (5-1-24-3) put them on the backfoot.

The Institute recovered, however, through the middle-order pairing of O'Conner (12) and Goodman (15), who was bowled by Moore (4.5-0-16-2).

Bradley (17no) and Rutherford (10) continued the fightback to give Grimsby Institute a total of 95 before they were bowled out on the penultimate ball of the 20th over.

The Jedis made a positive start through openers Kelly Drewery (10) and Watson (19), who was caught off Rutherford (4-0-13-2).

N Collins (28no) and C Moore (16no) completed Corinthian Jedis' seven-wicket victory in the 13th over.

3Q have claimed the points over Clee Academy, who postponed their game on the morning of the match. The game between Whitgift and Oasis Academy was rained off.