Little Lever have a narrow one-point lead at the top after the latest round of matches in the Anthony Axford North West Cricket League Conference Premiership.

They have 76 points, with Farnworth, Farnworth Social Circle, and Salesbury, all on 75 points just behind them.

The first game of the weekend saw a close match between Barrowford firsts and Read. The latter won the toss and elected to bat first which saw them end with 165-8 after Andrew Laycock (52) and Andrew Rushton (48) top-scored for the visitors. In response, Barrowford scored 168-8 off 39.3 overs, with Shuja Rashid top-scoring with 31, despite Jamie Woodall taking 4-47. Barrowford moved into fifth place with 67 points.

Bridgeman Park saw a comfortable victory for Farnworth against Astley Bridge. The latter batted first and was dismissed for 63 after Mehr Khan shined with the ball, taking 5-30. Farnworth scored 64 without loss after 10.4 overs with Zahid Butt scoring 48 not out.

Burnley Belvedere won their third game of the season after last-placed, Foulridge firsts visited them. Batting first, Burnley scored 166-6, with Ali Zar top-scoring with an unbeaten 77. Foulridge were then bowled out for 87 after Aadil Hussain took 4-25.

Cherry Tree came up with a surprise win against last week’s league leaders Farnworth Social Circle. Social Circle were dismissed for 110, with Steven French and Archie Walsh top-scoring with 35 after Daniel Lord took 4-38. Cherry Tree won the game being two wickets down, after Craig Kennedy top-scored with 54.

The final game of the day saw Salesbury defeat Little Lever at Victory Road. Little Lever were bowled out for 115 after Vaughan Yates took 5-14. Salesbury won the game losing six wickets, with Tom Stones top-scoring with 36 after Paul Hewart took 4-29.

Walkden returned to the top of the second division on 97 points following a six-wicket win against Eagley, who lost their last five wickets on 75 with Imran Ali 4-11 and Mehan Anwar 3-0.

One point behind, having also played nine games, are Burnley Belvedere. Abid Khan struck 46 in their 184, then Muhammad Yaha took 6-26 to leave Feniscowles 39 runs short, despite Syed Shah’s half-century.

On 95 points are Oswaldtwistle Immanuel having played one game more. Barrowford recovered from 92-7 to reach 171, with Abdul Waqas (45) and Rohan Muhammad (42) in the runs. OI were well placed at 124-5, but three wickets each for Waqas Pervez and Ansar Mahmood saw them dismissed for 160.

Barnoldswick slipped to fourth with 94 points from 10 games after Padiham made 195-6, Cameron Thorne hitting 49 and Wasique Ali taking 4-39. Despite 41 from Waqas Ahmad, Barnoldswick could only total 167, Jimmy Gray 4-10.

From 55-1, Foulridge slid to 118 with Dhanushka Lakshan taking 6-41. Brinscall went on to win by seven wickets, Andy Scambler top-scoring with 40.

Kearsley were the second side to lose their last five wickets without adding to their score, Grant Cordin hitting 61 at the top of the order. Baxenden overcame this for the loss of three wickets.

Oliver Bonnett Jones took 3-27 as Whalley were dismissed for 142. James McLoughlan’s 56 helped guide Lostock to a four-wicket win with Nisaar Hissain taking 3-26.

In the Ramsbottom Cup semi-finals, Travis Blezard’s 43 assisted Ribblesdale Wanderers on their way to 139-7, but 54no from Michael Daley and 44 from Zahid Butt took Farnworth to a four-wicket win.

Read’s 237-7 included a century from Elliot Lowes and 42 from Andrew Laycock, and this proved to be more than a hundred too many for Cherry Tree, despite Harrison Elmy’s half-century. Andrew Rushton finished with 3-27.

Sarath Babu’s 91 out of Foulridge’s 201 in the Lawrenson Cup was in vain as Toby Furbush, Ben Riley and Tom Wilson all scored in excess of 44 runs to take Salesbury to a four-wicket win in the last over.

They will be joined in the final by Barrowford, whose 182 was almost a hundred too many for Tonge. Mohammad Yaqoob hit 53 for Barrowford, then Ulfat Ali took 5-19.