BURNLEY are three points clear at the top of the Lancashire League table with two games to play after a successful weekend.

Dan Pickup’s men started their double header with a 34-run win at Norden on Saturday.

The Turf Moor side successfully defended 147 for victory, the hosts all out for 113.

Sunday saw Burnley move closer to the title after seeing off Accrington, who had slipped to the bottom of the table with defeat at home to Church on Saturday, by way of a seven-wicket victory. 

The visitors recovered from 23-5 to post 120 all out, their former Lancashire man Karl Brown top scoring with 44.

Burnley then saw opener Liam Bedford guide his side home in 22 overs with an unbeaten 44.

Lowerhouse are keeping the leaders honest though and took control of second spot over the weekend.

Ben Heap’s men were 72-run winners over Crompton at The Brooks Foundation Ground on Saturday. They then backed that up with 117-run win at Rochdale 24 hours

later.

Paid man Ockert Erasmus top scored with 44 in a total of 195-7 before completing a fine day with 6-23 as Rochdale were all out for 78.

Defending champions Walsden are down in third, 15 points behind Burnley, after being upset by struggling Darwen who were five-wicket winners to inflict a second straight defeat on 2018’s top team.

Walsden did hit back on Sunday to end that run with a five-wicket win of their own against Norden as Darwen, second from bottom, were brought back down to earth. 

The Towers lost by 16 runs at Crompton who enhanced their own survival prospects at Glebe Street.

The hosts posted 216-4 batting first with Darwen coming up short despite Ammer Mirza and Scott Friend putting on 138 for the first wicket.

Ramsbottom are fourth in the table on a weekend where their title hopes faded.

On Saturday they were 46-run winners over Rochdale.

Posting a modest 106 all out batting first Rammy saw Jon Fielding, 6-24, and sub professional John Nyumbu, 4-25, bowl them to victory as the visitors were all out for 60 at Acre Bottom.

They couldn’t match that on Sunday though as Clitheroe were three-wicket winners in the meeting at Chatburn Road.

The visitors made 138-8 batting first helped by some fine hitting at the end of the innings by Jack Wynn who made 30 from just nine balls.

Clitheroe got over the line in the final over, Charlie Dewhurst leading the way with 55 while Sri Lankan professional Suraj Randiv made 46.

Saturday had seen Clitheroe go down to a 66-run defeat at Todmorden.

Former Red Rose and England man Chris Schofield was the match-winner with 73 of the hosts’ 212-3.

Randiv chipped in with 42 in reply but Clitheroe were all out for 146.

Church sent Accrington to the foot on the division on Saturday with an eight-wicket win.

The hosts were all out for just 71 with Church completing the job in less than 12 overs.

Josh Dentith took 4-19 with the ball.

Sunday saw Church, 10th, lose a tight game at home to Todmorden by 10 runs.

Professional Qaasim Adams took 4-35 with the visitors all out for 121.

Church were dismissed for 111, no-one making the decisive contribution needed.