IN THE semi-finals of the Church Times Cricket Cup, Guildford will take on London; and Lichfield will play Leicester after an exciting round of quarter-final matches played in the bright sunshine on Monday.

One final group match was needed to determine who would progress from group 1A. Playing on Thursday of last week, Manchester overcame Carlisle & Blackburn, after posting 180 all out. There were fine contributions from Lindop, Emmerson, and James.

Carlisle & Blackburn's Stewart Fyfe broke a finger taking a catch, but his team began its reply very brightly, and Muthalaly reached 62. They looked odds-on to overcome Manchester's total, until James came on to bowl, complementing his batting with four wickets for eight runs.

Manchester thus progressed to the quarter-finals, where they faced last year's finalists, Lichfield, at Warrington.

Lichfield won the toss, and elected to bat. Hack and Cranston made steady progress against accurate bowling from Emerson, James, and Wickham. Hack eventually fell to Emerson for 52, after an opening partnership of 121 with Cranston, who went on to score 89.

Rylands and Taylor pushed up the scoring rate before both fell with the score at 221. Late contributions from Forrester and Lefroy took Lichfield to a respectable 275 from their 50 overs.

In reply, Manchester fared poorly. The top order falling cheaply, and resistance from the tail (Thomson scored a determined 43, and Gatenby 19) could not hope to make up the difference. Manchester were all out for 118 in 42.1 overs.

Last year's winners, London, took on Peterborough in a match that brought the two teams together in the Church Times Cup for the first time in many years. The game pitched a previous London captain, Paul Foster, against his old side.

London won the toss, and put Peterborough in on a pitch at Ely that had some uneven bounce in it. Kendal and Lee bowled tightly for London, and Peterborough lost their captain, Jefferson, for four, and Morton for nought in the opening overs.

At the first change of bowling, three other quick wickets fell to Allerton and Barnes, and Peterborough were soon in trouble at 57 for five. But Foster came to the wicket, and, together with Taylor, began to give Peterborough hope.

Taylor was eventually dismissed for 55, but not before they had put on 65 for the sixth wicket, and Peterborough were 122 for six. Two more wickets followed, and Peterborough finished on 137 for eight from their 40 overs. Marshall took one for 19 from seven overs.

In reply, London took the score quickly over the 30 mark. But then panic set in. Barnes was LBW to Morton for 18, Moffat fell in the same way to Foster, followed by Chrystal and Beeby, and suddenly London, having been 31 for nought, were 48 for four.

It was the right time for the captain to appear. Lee managed to stabilise the innings, first with Allerton, and then Marshall, and London were home for the loss of just one more wicket, reaching 138 in the 24th over.

Leicester took on West Yorkshire & the Dales, playing their first ever match at Anston Cricket Club. Leicester batted first. Orridge and Jackson scored rapidly, before Buttenshaw took three quick wickets.

An excellent hard-hitting innings from Broadley, who managed 25 boundaries, took the total from 94 for four to 276 for six.

In reply, an under-strength West Yorkshire & the Dales lost early wickets to Miles, and, at 33 for three, needed to accelerate. Instead, they struggled under a fine spell of quick bowling by Norman.

The victorious run was scored by Brockbank, with his first ever ball in the competition.

The other quarter-final match, between Guildford and Salisbury, came down to the final over. Despite the heat at Winchester's Newfound ground, rain threatened all day, and the match was reduced to 40 overs.

Salisbury made a confident 187 for seven, with a half-century going to Patterson. Guildford struggled in reply, thanks to Patterson, who took two wickets and two catches.

All seemed lost for Guildford, needing 29 off the last three overs with nine wickets down. But a flurry of fours from Marrow brought them an unexpected victory.

Guildford's Chris Owen said that he had never felt so disappointed on behalf of an opponent. "We took three perfect catches for their three most threatening batsmen, and sewed them up in the field. Their only mistake was to make their best bowlers bowl eight overs in a row in scorching heat."

Manchester 179 all out (James 33, Lindop 61, Emmerson 44). Carlisle & Blackburn 118 all out (Muthalaly 63, Carter 16*).

Manchester beat Carlisle and Blackburn by 61 runs.

Lichfield 275-7 (Cranston 89, Hack 56, Rylands 45, Taylor 31 Forrester 16, Lefroy 20*). Manchester 118 all-out (Thompson 43).

Lichfield beat Manchester by 157 runs.

Peterbrough 137-8 (Taylor 55, Foster 31; Allerton 2-20, Marshall 1-19). London 138-5 (Lee 48, Marshall 29; Foster 2-30).

London beat Peterborough by six wickets.

Leicester 276-6 (Broadley 128*, Orridge 34, Jackson 33; Buttenshaw 3-44, Elliot 2-54). West Yorkshire & the Dales 53 all-out (Hinton 15; Norman 6-24, Miles 2-28).

Leicester beat West Yorkshire & the Dales by 223 runs.

Salisbury 187-7 (Paterson 51, Rimmer 14, Jack 28, Strain 15, Herbert 22*; Humphries 2-28); Guildford 188-9 (Owen 24, Martin 78, Watson 33, Marrow 23*).

Guildford beat Salisbury by two wickets.

*not out