The Anthony Axford North West Cricket League Conference Premiership came to end with Farnworth crowned champions and Foulridge firsts, Astley Bridge, and Ribblesdale Wanderers all relegated.

The closest game in the division was at Bridgeman Park where Farnworth hosted Little Lever. The latter were dismissed for 227, with Naeem Patel top-scoring with 66, complemented with an unbeaten 49 from Ben Blinkhorn-Street. In reply, Farnworth were bowled out for 225, with Aaqib Javed scoring 93.

Ribblesdale Wanderers defeated Foulridge firsts as Ribblesdale’s Scott Fielding scored 47. Burnley Belvedere hosted Farnworth Social Circle and won by three wickets. Nabeel Ur Rahman shined with the new ball for Burnley, taking 7-48.

Jahangir Babar took 5-22 in Barrowford firsts’ victory against Astley Bridge, while Cherry Tree defeated Salesbury by 113 runs with skipper, Harry Stevenson, top-scoring with 64 and Daniel Lord taking 5-16.

The league table ended with Farnworth at the top with 195 points. Little Lever were second (163), Social Circle third (154), Read in fourth (151), and Salesbury in fifth (149). Cherry Tree came in sixth place with 141 points, Barrowford firsts were seventh (137) and Burnley Belvedere seconds finished in eighth (131).

Ninth place belonged to Ribblesdale Wanderers (123), 10th were Astley Bridge (104) and 11th to Foulridge firsts (58), with all three relegated to the second division.

The three relegated teams will be joined in the second tier by Lostock, Oswaldtwistle Immanuel, Barnoldswick, Blackrod, Brinscall, Burnley Belvedere and Baxenden - it could be renamed the ‘B Division’!

The third tier will comprise Earby, Feniscowles, Chatburn, Whalley, Eagley, Tonge, Kearsley, Barrowford, Atherton and Foulridge.

Last Saturday, there was a century partnership between Raheen Hussain (52) and Cameron Thorne (66) in Padiham’s 223-6. Oliver Tuck took 3-17 for Eagley who reached 70-2, but ended up all out for 91.

Tony Tipping took 4-43 in Baxenden’s 177, but ended on the losing side as Blackrod finished on 149.

In a low-scoring match, Wayne Cook took 3-25 for Atherton, Tom Mather taking 4-13 and Archie Stokes 3-6 as Oswaldtwistle Immanuel slid from 37-0 to 58 all out. This was 13 too many for Atherton as Zameer Hussain captured 8-17.