Greenmount first eleven produced a much-needed victory over bottom club Middleton on Saturday to keep their relegation destiny strictly in their own hands.
The visitors won the toss, and with the scorching sun baking down, elected to bat leaving the Mount lads to sweat in the field.
They lost three early wickets by the time the score had reached 17 until professional James Price came to the crease and scored 118 helping his side to 233 for nine from their 50 overs.
Callum Hunter took 4 for 56 from 15 to top the Mount bowling plaudits while Matt Donnelly took four catches behind the stumps.
In the reply, Jack Harrison (0) was dismissed with the score on one before Tom Heaton (65) and Evan Williams (31) put on 69 before Williams was dismissed with the score on 70.
Professional Chesney Hughes soon followed Williams two runs later then Dan Stevens hit a useful 29 before being run out as the total reached 147.
That was the cue for a match-winning six-wicket partnership of 88 between Lewis Dove (49 not out) and skipper Ryan Senior (40 not out) as the Mount eased home for a welcome five wicket victory in the 47th over.
Meanwhile, at Towncroft, Greenmount’s second string were taking on their Middleton counterparts but went down to a disappointing defeat.
Oli Dixon won the toss for the Mount and elected to bat and his charges were 192 all out from 44 overs.
Openers Sam Greenhalgh (63) and Henry Dickinson (58) top scored for the villagers while there was a cameo performance later in the innings from Rick Catterall who scored a season’s best 28.
In response, Middleton were indebted to an unbeaten 86 from M. Shahid as they passed the Greenmount total in the 27th over for the loss of only three wickets.
Sunday saw Mark Crowther’s third team provide the entertainment at the Log Cabin when they faced Lowerhouse fourths.
It proved a long, hot day in the field for the Mount as an incredible knock by youngster Keagan De Vries (145 including 16 fours and seven sixes) allied to 80 from Shaukat Ali saw the visitors run up 286 for 4 from their 40 overs.
De Vries was eventually bowled by Adam Clarke who picked up two victims on the day. Edward Dickinson took Ali’s wicket.
Not surprisingly, the villagers’ reply fell 107 runs short at 179 all out.
Skipper Crowther top scored with 45 while there were other double figure contributions from Leigh Dickinson (30), Luca Addleton (20), Steven Addleton (19) and Tom Clarke (12).