MALPAS went top on Saturday with an unlikely victory over their closest rivals Mere.
Defeat looked certain when Malpas were skittled for 70 with teenager Richard Pawson their highest scorer with 13 runs.
But the visitors, second in the table, batted just as badly as Malpas against some good bowling and were soon back in the pavilion for just 43 runs.
Tim Davies took the first five wickets for a return of 5-11 off nine overs, Peter Baker took 3-25 and Jonny Suckley chipped in with 2-5 off four overs.
The seconds were beaten by six wickets at Hale Barns.
Alvanley drew with Lymm Outhrington Park after abandoning the run chase when eight wickets went down. Lymm found it hard going against the Alvanley attack of James Rowlinson, who extracted pace and bounce from the track, and the frugal Phil Jones, who conceded only nine runs from his eight overs.
Lymm crawled to 48-1 off 20 overs and Nick Hawking took over from Jones. His spin bowling was attacked aggressively, conceding 53 runs off his nine overs while picking up the wicket of opener Wright for 50.
A marvellous piece of fielding by Hawking led to Bone being run out for nine with a direct strike at the stumps, even though the fielder was flat out on the floor.
Peter Pearce replaced Rowlinson and initially he struggled to stop the ball swinging excessively in the now very sultry conditions, which led him to bowl four wides in his first six overs.
When Pearce managed to gain control, he caused many problems by giving no loose deliveries for the batsmen to plunder. He bowled Whelan for 50 and then had Conway caught by Fletcher to finish with 2-27 off 10 overs.
With Lymm apparently struggling at 128-5 off 39 overs, the game looked to have moved back in Alvanley's favour. Rowlinson and Jones returned and got the ball to seam about at will. Jackson had a wild swipe at a delivery from Jones which forced the ball high into the sky. And while several Alvanley fielders contemplated the catch, wicket-keeper Fletcher took responsibility and caught the ball at mid-wicket.
Rowlinson struck again to give Fletcher his fourth catch of the day, and a run-out compounded Lymm's misery as they closed at 154-8 off 45 overs.
Alvanley started their innings confidently despite the loss of Ian Charles and Hawking. Cei Sanderson was timing the ball well, so at 60-2 off 20 overs, the game appeared comfortably in Alvanley's grasp.
But Karl Wright removed Sanderson for 38 and Andy Senior in the same over and the momentum was lost completely as the middle order struggled to score at more than one run per over, against bowling that was delivered at an extremely straight line and yet moving significantly off the pitch.
Two run-outs compounded the problem and Alvanley had to give up the run chase, finishing on 104-8. Karl Wright demonstrated tremendous stamina to bowl 22 overs, picking up 6-44.
Alvanley seconds travelled to Ashton-on-Mersey and bowled well to restrict the home team to 151-5 off 45 overs. Peter French was the pick of the bowling with 4-57 off 18 overs.
Alvanley opening batsman Steve Liddiard maintained his recent run of form and anchored the innings with 46no, which enabled Andy Booth (31) and Graham Smith (30no) to play aggressively, and victory was secured with three overs to spare. The team remains un-beaten this year having won four out of six matches.
Barrow had to settle for a draw in a high-scoring game at home to Old Parkonians. On losing the toss, Barrow were asked to bat first and the new opening partnership of Nick Bell and John Williams soon began to enjoy the excellent batting conditions.
After only eight overs, the total had reached 50 with Williams finding his timing and dispatching the ball to all parts of the ground.
With Bell losing his wicket for a steady 37, Williams was soon joined by the in-form Lee Dwyer. Williams cruised past 50 and continued his onslaught, bringing up his century with a trademark six. Barrow declared on 250-2 after only 40 overs with Dwyer finishing on 57no and Williams 138no.
Barrow knew at tea that early wickets would be essential before the ball lost its shine and the sublime wicket took over. With the Parkonian batsman also enjoying the conditions, the early declaration was putting the Barrow total at risk. But with Old Parkonians finishing on 234-4, Barrow gained a winning draw.
Cholmondeley were asked to bat first at Offerton on a difficult wicket that had not been covered. The bounce was consistently high and with good conditions for seam, Cholmondeley were restricted to 124 off their 45 overs.
In reply, Offerton started well in reaching 66-1 off 20 overs, but the introduction of Steve Egan transformed the match. A miserly spell of accurate bowling backed up by some athletic catching resulted in a collapse, with Poynton all out for 101 after 41 overs. New boy Egan returned match figures of 6-18 runs.
Cholmondeley seconds, at home to Malpas, put in their local rivals who they dismissed for 44, with Peter Heaton returning a remarkable 6-6. Cholmondeley won with seven wickets to spare.
