CLITHEROE suffered only their second defeat of the season but retained their Houldsworth Ribblesdale League title with two games to spare.

Great Harwood kept alive their hopes of runners-up spot with a three run win over their Chatburn Road visitors.

But Clitheroe collected sufficient points on Saturday to ensure a third successive senior league crown.

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Read are the only other side (2002-04) to have completed a hat-trick and skipper Paul Gaskell admitted: “Everyone is talking about four-in-a-row but we are going to enjoy this latest one first.

“Obviously, we are disappointed to lose because you want to win as many games as possible. But winning the league again was the most important thing.

“There’s been a great team spirit in the dressing room all season and that played a big part in retaining the title again. We’re looking to recruit a couple for next year and hopefully the pro (Janaka Guneratne) will be staying.

“But we’ve also got some good, young players coming through so everything is positive about the club.” Clitheroe have also been confirmed as Division One champions.

Joey Hawke top scored with 50 as Harwood recovered from 38-6 to reach 112 all out. Clitheroe appeared on course for a 19th league win as they progressed to 80-4 until a late slump saw them slip to 109.

Read, who entertain Harwood in the final game of the campaign, sat out the first part of the weekend double header.

After being dismissed for 17 by Clitheroe a week earlier, Earby suffered another humiliation against new Twenty/20 winners, Settle. With extras top score on 12 and seven batsmen out for ducks, the Applegarth outfit were skittled for just 30 in pursuit of 127.

Cherry Tree gained a vital two wicket win over Baxenden that pushed the 2011 champions closer to Section A relegation.

Euxton’s two wicket victory against Barnoldswick confirmed the Balshaw Park outfit’s automatic promotion from Section B. Kyle Marshall top scored with 61 in the visitors’ 157 all out while Euxton were indebted to an unbeaten 54 from Francois Haasbroek to see them home off the final ball of the penultimate over.

Ribblesdale Wanderers announced prolific South African Ryan Canning will be their professional in 2016 and promptly were knocked over for 32 at home to Padiham. It also led to an ironic tweet to Earby saying:”Fancy a game? Think we would put on a good show!”

While Canning is staying, Salesbury said farewell to 35-year-old Sri Lankan star, Susantha Pradeep. Four years after a debut of 62 and 5-57, ‘Susa’ marked his last game for the ‘Red Caps’ by claiming his 250th wicket and hitting the winning runs in a six wickets triumph over Edenfield.

The game also marked the last Senior League appearance for their visitors.

Clitheroe celebrated the title with a crushing 166 win over Read on Sunday. Neil Bolton made a brilliant 103 while pro Janaka Guneratne added 94 as the champions finished on 288-7.

That was more than enough for Read who were bowled out for 122, with Guneratne capping a stunning all-round performance by taking 8-57.

The game of the day saw Baxenden beat Great Harwood despite being bowled out for 45, with Joey Hawke taking 6-11.

He was outdone by Gary Sudworth who took 7-6 as Great Harwood were skittled for 42.

Laurence Read’s unbeaten 107 helped Settle to an 11 run win over Cherry Tree, for who Ruan Sadler made 136.

Niall Heyes took 6-38 as Oswaldtwistle Immanuel bowled Earby out for 162. Phil Howard made 65 as Oswaldtwistle won by seven wickets.

After 27 years as Ribblesdale League members, Edenfield are joining the new Greater Manchester League set-up in 2016.