Blackburn Northern are the new leaders of the Veka Ribblesdale League senior division with just four games remaining.

Northern's weekend double over reigning champions Clitheroe and Cherry Tree enabled them to leapfrog Baxenden by just two points.

And it completes a memorable week for the Pleckgate Road side after lifting the Ramsbottom Cup for the first time since 1968.

However, Baxenden can still swing the title race their way when the teams meet in a fortnight.

For now though Northern are in pole position. They dismissed Clitheroe for 139 and then knocked off the runs for the loss of just three wickets.

Naeem Ashraf, who helped Clitheroe to a treble last season, struck an unbeaten 66.

Yesterday, Northern bowled out Cherry Tree for 73 and secured maximum 12 points with the loss of four wickets.

Cherry Tree defeated Ribblesdale Wanderers on Saturday; their victory owing much to an opening stand of 132 by 15-year-old Scott Friend (63) and 16-year-old Ahmer Mirza (86).

Baxenden also gained a six wicket success yesterday- over Earby- with Dave Parkinson scoring an undefeated 40.

However, it was their defeat at Great Harwood 24 hours earlier that could prove costly.

Harwood reached 153-8, helped by Peter Sleep's half century, and then dismissed the former table toppers for 127; Paul Newton claiming 7-30.

It was also a remarkable weekend at the bottom for Barnoldswick. Previously without a league win all season, they scooped 24 points from back to back successes over Edenfield and Oswaldtwistle Immanuel.

Baber Naeem struck a ton in Edenfield's 207 but the home side fell 14 runs short.

Paid man Riaz Kaleem arrived late because of traffic problems but still made an unbeaten 97 in the visitors' 221-5.With Kaleem unavailable yesterday, South African Werner Coetsee stepped up. And his 3-16 from 16 overs was crucial as Barlick' beat Ossie' by 66 runs.