Although Peel & St John’s didn’t play at the weekend, they picked up maximum points from their defaulted match against Castletown to maintain their lead at the top.

Second-placed Crosby completed their own maximum point win over Valkyres which meant that it’s still mathematically possible for them to overhaul PSJ with two matches remaining and they will face them next weekend in a game that will determine the title.

Elsewhere, Cronkbourne cemented third place with a narrow win against their nearest challengers Ramsey.

Crosby chose to bat after winning the toss and a century partnership from openers George Burrows and Ed Walker got them off to the best possible start. Although Walker was out with the score on 106, Burrows went on to make 88 from 78 balls which included 12 boundaries.

The innings also featured some fearsome hitting from wicketkeeper Carl Hartmann who made 65 from 54 balls and George’s brother Joe who added 56 from only 24 balls, including four sixes and four fours batting at seven.

In reply, Valkyres opening batsman Hemanth Vyas hit a century but, with wickets falling regularly at the other end, his innings was in vain. When he was seventh man out, the game was up and the last three wickets fell for the addition of only three more runs.

Tom Burrows made it a family affair with five wickets for 40 runs, with George picking up a brace and Joe also claiming a wicket as Crosby won by 72 runs.

Cronkbourne’s match at Ramsey was an altogether closer head-to-head as Cronkbourne won the toss and chose to bat.

Ramsey made early inroads into the Cronkbourne batting line up, but Jared Shepherd and Nathan Williams came together with the score on 65 -4. The pair added 133 for the fifth wicket before Joe Flanagan ran both out.

Ramsey’s Robin Pooley picked up three wickets as Cronkbourne eventually reached 279, losing their final wicket on the last ball of the 40 overs to another Flanagan run out.

Ramsey opener Pooley also shone with the bat, hitting 38 in a partnership of 62 for the opening wicket with David Andrews, while Cameron Roome also hit 31 to keep Ramsey on track. Luke Ward accelerated the scoring and was unbeaten on 75 but, with wickets spare, Ramsey finished 11 runs behind Cronkbourne’s total.

Finch Hill have an unassailable lead in the first division, although their game was abandoned while Ramsey conceded against Crosby.

In the second division, Peel enjoyed a narrow win against Castletown by 14 runs after Castletown were well placed but lost their last four wickets for 24 runs.