ANDY Caunce is refusing to get too down after Baxenden lost for the first time this season at Read on Saturday – and is ready to maintain the Ribblesdale League lead ahead of this weekend’s double header.

Bash were beaten in the biggest clash of the season at Whalley Road before bouncing back thanks to Sunday’s win at Great Harwood.

And Caunce is confident of more of the same when his side face Salesbury and Settle.

“I am not too concerned about losing at Read,” he said. “It was a cracking game of cricket and they scored a bundle of runs in the last three overs to get home.

“Mohammad Jamil was brilliant and hit three sixes off the first four balls of the penultimate over and you have to take your hat off when something like that happens.

“It was a good game of cricket, we lost but we bounced back on Saturday and we can be confident going into this weekend.”

Despite the loss, Baxenden stayed top of the pile thanks to their impressive ratio of bonus points.

They have bowled well throughout the season and wicketkeeper Caunce, who is in his first season as Back Lane skipper, is quietly impressed.

“We have bowled well and it shows with the bonus points,” he said.

“It is important and Babar Naeem has bowled brilliantly so far this season.

“He has 28 wickets and the rest of the lads have stepped up to the plate as well.

“Lewis McIntosh has been out for a couple of weeks with a side problem so it has been important for the pro and others to step up, and that’s just what they have done.

“It’s been a good start for us but there is a long, long way to go before anything is decided.

“But we are certainly going along nicely at the moment.”