Peel made short shrift of Valkyres in Saturday’s match with a comprehensive 10-wicket win to remain top of the Premier Division.

Their position improved as Crosby, their nearest chasers, lost to Cronkbourne.

After winning the toss and choosing to field first, Peel soon had Valkres on the back foot with the early wicket of Zawar Hussain with only five runs on the board.

Although Shahid Rafique and Wasim Khan began to repair the innings, both were out along with Ubaid Khan as Valkyres reached 43-4.

Things got worse when Brendan Bennett picked up the first of his four wickets – Muhammad Salman – and Valkyres were all out for 117 in the 24th over.

Peel quickly reached the target in the 10th over, without losing a wicket and with more than thirty overs to spare, with Eddie Beard outscoring his opening partner Ollie Webster with 69 from only 26 balls, which included nine fours and three sixes. Webster in turn hit 45 from only 30 balls.

Cronkbourne moved to within a point of Crosby with an away win at the Marown Playing Fields.

After winning the toss Cronkbourne initially struggled to make a breakthrough as Crosby openers Martyn Oates and Henry Telford put on 55 for the first wicket before Telford was caught by Aakash Radhakrishnan off the bowling of Sam Kebbell.

Crosby wicketkeeper Carl Hartmann added 14 runs but the fall of his wicket sparked a mini collapse in the Crosby innings with a further four wickets going down for only 24 runs before they were all out for 143 runs, with Kebbell picking up a further three wickets. Only Oates provided any resistance, carrying his bat for 71 runs.

Cronkbourne opener Aakash Radhakrishnan was out for four runs but a partnership of 91 between Josh Clough and Harishankar Radhakrishnan effectively determined the result. Jacob Harding contributed 26 from only 24 balls in a partnership of 35 with Radhakrisnan who was unbeaten on 62 as Cronkbourne reached the target in the 24th over.

In Division One, Castletown continued their strong run at the top of the table by beating Cronkbourne’s second team.

Ben Crellin ripped the heart out of the Cronkbourne innings with three wickets including father and son Nick and Josh Maurel in a spell of five overs for only 11 runs, with Samson Curtis and Jeff Butler also picking up two wickets. Castletown opener Paul Osbourn’s unbeaten 46 saw them home with seven wickets to spare.

In the division’s other game, Peel beat Ramsey by eight wickets with Finlo Dealtry and Sharma picking up three wickets each and opener Tim Evans contributing a run-a-ball 46 runs.

Castletown also top Division Two after Cronkbourne conceded the match scheduled for King William’s College.

Finch Hill remain four points behind the league leaders after their three-wicket home win against Ramsey with Perry’s 51 from only 42 balls providing the main resistance for Ramsey. However, Sinclair’s 66 from only 61 balls for Finch Hill clinched the match.

SIMON CRELLIN