RIBBLESDALE Wanderers did runaway league leaders Baxenden a gigantic favour on Saturday as they sent main challengers Read crashing to a third successive defeat as rain wrecked much of the programme.

Read were keen to close the huge gap which has already been opened up by Ian Austin’s men but they were stunned by Gary Hunt’s Wanderers.

Ryan Gladwin hit 75 and sub pro Anwar Ali made 39 as the Ribble Valley outfit were 187 all out at Whalley Road with Jon Harvey and Chris Holt both claiming three wickets.

But chasing a rain reduced target of 139 in 29 overs, Read were 106-9 at the close, although they did claim two batting points for their efforts - and that means they actually managed to reduce Baxenden’s lead to 35 points.

Ribblesdale Wanderers
C Hall b Rushton 9
C Jackson ct O’Connor b R’ton 9
R Gladwin ro 75
A Ali ct O’Connor b Holt 39
A Marsh lbw b Smithson 4
R Lloyd ct Rushton b Holt 23
M Briggs lbw b Harvey 5
G Hunt ct O’Connor b Harvey 10
M Peel b Harvey 1
M Clarkson b Holt 0
I Britcliffe not out 0
Extras 12
Total (10 wickets) 187

Bowling: J Harvey 15.4 4 53 3, A Rushton 11 2 36 2, C Holt 11 1 49 3, K Smithson 6 0 38 1.

Read
N Marsh lbw b Britcliffe 11
M Whalley b Ali 6
J Marshall b Britcliffe 8
J Harvey b Britcliffe 1
C Holt b Lolyd 22
K O’Connor ct Ali b Lloyd 23
A Rushton ct Peel b Ali 0
A Turner lbw b Lloyd 9
W Eastham b Lloyd 15
P Haworth not out 2
K Smithson not out 1
Extras 8
Total (9 wickets) 106

A Ali 15 1 53 2, I Britcliffe 9 5 26 3, R Lloyd 5 0 24 4

Ribblesdale won by 81 runs