The Anthony Axford North West Cricket League’s Premiership title race was sent into overdrive during an action-packed Saturday which saw leaders Blackrod win, champions Little Lever lose and Padiham and Salesbury both confirm their status as serious contenders.

Just 22 points separate those top four after 12 of 22 rounds. Little Lever have a game in hand.

Blackrod have the definitive advantage with 10 wins. They are 12 points clear of second-placed Padiham.

Blackrod (122 points) survived a scare to beat hosts Ribblesdale Wanderers by three wickets chasing 121, with Sri Lankan professional Navod Paranavithana to the fore.

He claimed three wickets in second-bottom Ribblesdale’s 120-7 before leading a chase plunged into chaos at 31-5 with a measured 53. He shared a crucial sixth-wicket partnership of 48 with Zak Burton, who contributed a crucial 28.

Their nearest challengers are now Padiham (110 points), whose ninth success this season came courtesy of a convincing 73-run win at Eagley - a side now one place above the relegation zone.

Padiham’s 177-9 was underpinned by a pair of 36 scores from Max Seedall and unbeaten wicketkeeper Ben Uttley.

In a successful defence, South African sub pro, Dominic Hendricks, claimed an excellent 6-40 from from 14 overs, bowling Eagley out for 104.

Little Lever’s (100 points) fourth defeat came by 59 runs at fifth-placed Farnworth, who claimed a superb seventh win courtesy of a 59-run success which saw them feverishly defend their 156 all out.

Little Lever were bowled out for 97 as captain Ross Sutton excelled with four wickets.

Earlier, opener Tayler-Jay Heyes top-scored for Farnworth with 35. Australian pro Conor Spinks added a tail-end 17 not out before striking twice with the new ball.

Salesbury’s (100 points) eighth win came at Kearsley by six wickets as they chased 147.

Lewis Pearson claimed four wickets in Kearsley’s 146 all out, while his new-ball partner, Callum Boardman, returned three.

Salesbury’s reply was led by South African pro Garnett Tarr’s measured opening 72no.

In the Championship, Read’s relentless march towards the Premiership continued with a 10th win in 11 games, this one by seven wickets at Baxenden chasing 115.

Baxenden (114 all out) were undone by Matthew Heap’s excellent 5-17 before Joe Halstead top-scored with a middle-order 34no in a chase completed inside only 18 overs.

Read (117 points) are now 18 points clear of second-placed Walkden and, more importantly, 30 ahead of third-placed Atherton.

Those two chasers were Saturday winners.

Hosts Walkden beat Barnoldswick by 80 runs in a 41-over game, their star being new-ball seamer Mustafa Bashir, who claimed a fabulous 8-39 from 15 overs as Barnoldswick were bowled out for 145. He struck twice in an over on two occasions.

Batting first, Walkden had posted a commanding 224-7, including half-centuries for opener Muhammad Shoaib (51), Dario Boyce (50) and wicketkeeper Muhammad Rasheed (50).

Atherton boosted their promotion chances with a sixth win in 11 - a third in succession.

They bowled hosts Oswaldtwistle Immanuel out for 68 and won by five wickets.

Zeeshan Alsam struck four times for Atherton. Their pro, ex-West Indies Test opener Shayne Moseley, then top-scored in a routine reply with 41no.

Back into the Premiership, Lostock claimed a thrilling home win against Astley Bridge in one of the games of the day, with former captain Rob Holgate starring with bat and ball.

A clash between two struggling sides saw Lostock scramble to 115-8. Opener and captain James Evans top-scored with 27, while Holgate almost matched him with a middle-order 26no as he settled nerves following a collapse from 41-2 to 74-7.

Bridge’s South African pro Alexander Kok finished with four wickets. But Holgate usurped him by leading a successful defence with a superb 6-21 from 11 overs as the visitors were bowled out for 97. Evans added two wickets.

While Lostock won for the third time this season to give themselves breathing space at the bottom of the table, Astley Bridge remain rooted to the foot of the Premiership with only one win.

Tonge claimed their seventh victory to consolidate their mid-table place, beating Farnworth Social Circle by six wickets at home.

Victory was set up by Sri Lankan pro Hashan Dumindu, who claimed four wickets with his spin to bowl Social Circle out for just 68.

In reply, opener Sam Hardman top-scored for Tonge with 22.

Finishing in the Championship, mid-table duo Whalley and Brinscall claimed victories.

Whalley won at Cherry Tree (73 all out) by eight wickets for their third win.

Pro Levi Wolfenden was Whalley’s star with ball and then bat. He claimed four new-ball wickets and hit three sixes in a breezy 46no from number four.

Brinscall’s fourth win was achieved on the back of a starring role from Sri Lankan pro Madura Madushanka at home to Feniscowles.

He top-scored with 90 from number four in Brinscall’s 213-7 before striking four times with his spin in Feniscowles’ 115 all out. Captain Sam Maclachlan matched that haul.