BARRY Knowles holed out on the boundary just one short of a magnificent century as Haslingden ran riot against Ramsbottom to move to the top of the table.

Knowles was in commanding form as he dominated an opening stand of 158 with Mike Ingham.

But after facing 143 balls and hitting 12 boundaries, he lifted Brian Taylor out to Tommy Read who held the catch just inside the fence to deny the Haslingden opener a century.

Professional Brad McNamara then came in and crashed a rapid 35 while Ingham belatedly came out of his shell to hit four sixes and finish unbeaten on 96 from 133 balls as Haslingden reached an imposing 259-1.

Ramsbottom were never in the hunt after losing early wickets to McNamara and Andrew Sidley as they slipped to 20-3.

Mark Price and Ian Bell led something of a recovery before Price fell at 64 and Bell was then unlucky to depart with the total on 94.

Needing a half-century to complete the full set against all the clubs in the league, Bell had moved untroubled to 26 when Nick Riley's powerful drive from the other deflected off Bell to the bowler who completed a freak run-out.

It was then left to Julian Marcroft (34 not out) to deny Haslingden maximum points as Ramsbottom closed on 144-8.

Nelson cruised to another comfortable victory against Burnley thanks to a second consecutive half-century from batsman Paul Garaghty. Burnley were restricted to 131-8 with professional Roger Harper taking 4-40 from 24 overs.

Only skipper Andy McLeod and Simon Edmondson managed to counter the tight Nelson bowling, with 40 and 33 respectively.

Nelson lost their openers relatively cheaply, as well as Harper for 28, but reached their target with 12 overs to spare.

Colne knocked Lowerhouse off the top of the table with a dramatic last-wicket victory at Liverpool Road.

Chasing the home side's 129 all out, Colne looked in trouble as their top order made heavy weather of a reply.

But some late heroics from David Swarbrick (20) and Nigel Rimmer (22 not out) meant the last wicket pair needed two for victory which they got with just seven balls to spare. Earlier, Joe Scuderi (3-50) and Jamie Ellis (4-35) had been the Colne heroes as Lowerhouse slumped to 87-7.

But a defiant 38 not out from Matt Hope late on hauled the home side up to a more testing 129 all out.

Dropped catches cost Rishton dear as East Lancs' middle order helped them to another ultimately convincing win at Blackburn Road.

Good bowling from John Seedle and Frank Barden made early inroads for Rishton who then proceeded to put half a dozen decent chances down and saw East Lancs post 206-7 as a result.

Phil Mercer, who hit three fours and five sixes in his 76, profited most from the home side's generosity and Claude Henderson (40) and Paul Turner (34) helped him take advantage.

Rishton's reply also hit early trouble and professional Paul Wiseman (44) had to call for a runner when he suffered a groin injury.

Wiseman and Stuart Roberts (56), who hit his second half-century of the weekend, put together a partnership of 105 for the fifth wicket to give Rishton a glimmer of hope.

But a well balanced East Lancs attack finally polished them off. Zahir Afzal's five wicket-haul paved the way for Accrington to record their third victory of a much improved season at the expense of Church. Afzal struck with his first ball to remove Church skipper Mark Aspin for 49, taken at slip by Mas Ahmed.

And once Aspin had gone, the visitors offered little resistance as they subsided to 116 all out with Afzal, who bowled four wides in conceding just 19 runs from his 7.5 overs, wiping out the tail.

A 49-run third-wicket partnership between Mas Ahmed and professional Mark Bailey then set Accrington on the way to victory.

Bailey went for 35 with the score on 73 and Accrington then immediately lost another wicket.

But Ahmed got his head down to see the job through in company with Mark Burns (25 not out) as the pair added an unbroken 45 to complete a six-wicket win, Ahmed's 35 not out coming from 106 balls with five fours.

Stephen Crowe and David Ormerod bagged five wickets apiece to set up Bacup's crushing six-wicket victory over Rawtenstall at Lanehead. Crowe claimed 5-32 and Ormerod picked up 5-10 from 14 economical overs as the visitors crumbled to a miserable 82 all out. The home side's reply looked to be in trouble though as Peter Seal picked up the early wickets of John Chapman and Mark Taylor, both without scoring.

But professional Brad White held them together with an unbeaten 45 as Bacup wrapped up maximum points with 15 overs to spare.

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