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Brothers Ian and Malcolm Cockbain steered leaders Bootle to an unlikely victory in a swashbuckling finish at Wigan in the Liverpool Competition.

With six wickets down and two overs remaining, Bootle required 23 to win, with the brothers at the crease. They took just four runs from the penultimate over and when Malcolm hit off-spinner Dave Cunliffe for two, two and one off the first three deliveries of the last over, a draw still looked the most plausible outcome.

Then Ian, Bootle's long-standing captain and skipper of the Cheshire and Minor Counties, struck two sixes and a two to land a thrilling six-wicket win. Ian finished unbeaten on 94, Malcolm made 24 not out.

It all went wrong two days later, though, as Bootle suffered their first defeat of the season in another close finish at Northop Hall who won with seven balls to spare through an eighth-wicket partnership by Danny Collins and inspiring captain Darren Peters.

Newly-promoted Steeton are making a bold bid for the Airedale & Wharfedale League title. They hold a formidable 12-point advantage but were restricted to a winning draw on Bank Holiday Monday as one of their former players returned to haunt them.

Silsden's David Short defied his old club by batting through the final 13 overs with Hugh Sugden to deny the leaders outright victory. Silsden clung on for a losing draw at 129 for nine after Steeton had topped 200. Sugden was left undefeated on 17, while Short made a vital seven not out.

Another player to foil his former colleagues was Albert Shutt, who helped Richmondshire to a 49-run win over Normanby Hall in the North Yorkshire and South Durham League. Shutt took four for 38 and Umir Rashid claimed five for 40 as Hall were sent back for a paltry 95.

Luck deserted Norton's Mark Symington, who suffered the anguish of being caught on the boundary for 99 in his side's win over Darlington.

Shotley Bridge have wrested the lead from Blaydon in the Tyneside Senior League after Blaydon finished 10 runs short at Ryton. Shotley Bridge, by contrast, were 10-wicket winners over bottom-of-the-table Greenside, openers Vernon Dumas making 66 and Charlie Stephenson 42.

Bridge's Bank Holiday derby with Consett was much closer. Peter Collingwood's 77 helped Bridge to reach 188 and Consett were two runs short despite a fine all-round performance from their professional David Jackson who hit 84 and took six for 88.

Andrew Hall, Burnmoor's South African professional, propelled his side to the top of the Durham Senior League, taking four for 23 as Gateshead Fell were dismissed for 83 and then tearing through the Durham City innings with seven for 16 as City collapsed to 55 all out.

Whitburn gained their first win over former leaders Eppleton, Keith Burdett including a six and 18 fours in his century.

Bowlers were on top in most of the Northern League's Bank Holiday games. Leaders Darwen had a two-wicket victory at bottom-of-the-table Leyland Daf, Andrew Mercer taking a match-winning five for 27. Chorley moved into second place by demolishing Leyland for 48.

Colin Knight was in imperious form with the bat on Saturday and Monday for third-placed Lindal in the North Lancashire & District League. He made exactly 100 in Lindal's 19-run victory against Cleator on Saturday. Then, two days later, Knight took a half century off Dalton's attack when the winning margin was 89.

Furness became the first side in the league to pass a century of points when they eclipsed Barrow by 187 runs, Alan Slippy hitting 113 and Shane Bond grabbing seven for 24.

Farsley underlined their credentials as Bradford League leaders with a nine-wicket triumph over Spen Victoria, opener Richard Gould carrying his bat for 90.

Ryan Robinson's 106 helped East Bierley to defeat Bankfoot by six wickets and keep the pressure on Farsley. Azam Khan had the bitter-sweet experience of finishing on the losing side after an unbeaten 96.