Salesbury have had a dream start, but they insist it is too early to dream after winning four games from four to sit atop of the Anthony Axford North West Cricket League’s Premiership standings.

Captain Peter Richardson and company are the only side across both the NWCL’s divisions to boast a 100 percent record so far. They have 48 points from four rounds of action, the latest seeing them cruise beyond Ribblesdale Wanderers on Saturday by seven wickets chasing just a 70 target.

Second-placed Blackrod have also won four from four, but they have missed out on a couple of bonus points. 

Salesbury haven’t, they have been perfect.

“We’ve had a really good start, winning four from four, and we’re very happy,” said top order batter Richardson. 

“The signs are positive with what we’ve done so far, and we just need to try and keep it going – keep trying to build that momentum that we’ve got with us.”

Asked whether they are starting to dream big at Ribchester Road, Richardson chuckled and said: “Not yet, nothing like that.

“We just want to take one game at a time and keep playing our best cricket. There’s a lot of good teams, and we need to be on it every week. There’s no easy games where we can just turn up.”

A battle of the current top two in the table – Salesbury and Blackrod – looms as an intriguing clash on June 15, with two fixtures to play beforehand. 

Concentrating on the one just gone, Callum Boardman took the new ball and stood out with 3-15 from 7.1 overs as struggling Ribblesdale were bowled out for 69 inside 27 overs. 

Bajan overseas amateur Kevon Beckles was the only home batter to reach double figures with 29, and his new side now sit second bottom having lost four from four.

In reply, opener Liam Parkinson top-scored with 32 added to Richardson’s 22 from number three. 

They shared a calming 50 for the second wicket after pro Garnett Tarr had fallen to the first ball of the innings.

“I lost the toss as usual, and we got asked to bowl,” said Richardson.

“That’s what I was going to do anyway. They’ve had a few nervy results recently, so we wanted the chance to try and put them under a bit of pressure with the ball.

“If we got a few early wickets, we were confident of building on it and getting them quite cheaply. 

“Callum Boardman and Lewis Pearson bowled really nicely together up front. We got those early wickets and just tightened it up.”

Before the start of the season earlier this month, we spoke to Richardson for a Premiership preview. He chatted about his side’s need to improve their batting having failed to bat out their full allocation of 45 overs often enough last year.

This term, they have looked far more solid and have batted their innings out on both occasions they have batted first.

“That’s the biggest thing we’d say about last season,” re-affirmed Richardson. “Our batting was very, very weak. 

“It’s something we’ve looked to improve with the signing of our OA (Brandon Faber, Australia) and the pro (Tarr, South Africa). 

“That paid off when we beat Farnworth away in our first game. We managed to bat all the way to 45 overs, and Garnett got his 98. It’s just about building on that now and moving forwards, keeping doing it again and again.”

One positive is that Tarr has yet to really catch fire. He has only posted one fifty in his four league innings.

That Salesbury still find themselves flying high indicates a real team effort.

Richardson added: “We’ve seen it in glimpses so far from Garnett – that Farnworth game and a T20 against Ossy Immanuel. He absolutely smashed it around the park in that game (59 not out off 35 balls).

“I’m sure when he gets used to the wickets, which are a bit slower than he’s used to, I’m sure we’ll see the best of him.

“Everyone’s chipped in. Brandon’s got a couple of good scores over the last few weeks, and the wickets have been shared around. That’s what we want – everyone chipping in, whether it’s with the bat or the ball.”

Meanwhile, Salesbury have pulled out of the National Village Cup competition owing to availability and logistical challenges over the Bank Holiday weekend just gone.