COULD Clay Cross be the team that "does a Matlock" this year, creeping quietly into the promotion places?

Three successive wins, four in their last five matches and an unbeaten run of five have the North Derbyshire side threatening the top two places.

The odds would still be on Ticknall and Swarkestone going up but no-one gave Matlock a chance last year.

Maximum points on Saturday helped their cause at the Cross as they turned in a thoroughly efficient performance to dent Marehay's hopes.

Sri Lankan all-rounder Eranga Gangoda (71) and Sunil Bhatt (70 not out) came together to add 129 for the fourth wicket as they piled up an imposing 245-4 first up.

Then, while Andrew Ogden took 4-49 from 15 overs, Bhatt, in his seventh season at the club and closing in on 6,000 runs for them, mopped up with 3-29 from 4.3 overs as Marehay were bowled out for 198.

Clay Cross are 13 points behind second-placed Swar-kestone, who won comfortably at Denby.

Veteran Bruce Dilks took 5-31 as Denby were kept to 164-8 and Gary Smith was 58 not out as the target was reached with more than three overs to spare and five wickets in hand.

Leaders Ticknall were similarly comfortable winners at Rolleston, as the home side were restricted to 163-9. Shahid Khan and Zain Abbas took three wickets each and Zach Lucas frustrated Rolleston with a niggardly spell of 1-23 from 15 overs.

With captain Luke Harvey compiling 58 from 96 balls, Ticknall had almost 10 overs to spare when they passed the target with five wickets down.

One of Rolls-Royce's occasional dreadful batting collapses set their promotion challenge back, as they were shot out for 67 at Clifton, Peter Hort taking 5-29.

Clifton's reply was not without the occasional stutter but they got the 22 points with five wickets in hand.

Bottom club Shipley Hall's cause looks hopeless after they were also dismissed for 67, Stainsby Hall cruising to an eight-wicket win which eases their relegation worries slightly.

They were helped by Aston-on-Trent's defeat at Eckington, where the visitors responded to a target of 193-9 by being rushed out for 98 in only 22.4 overs.