Farnworth Social Circle need just one more point from their remaining two matches to claim back-to-back Anthony Axford North West Cricket League Premiership titles after beating Tonge by three wickets on Saturday.
Social Circle could have potentially won the title this weekend, but Little Lever made them wait by winning Blackrod.
The champions claimed their 18th win in 20 games as they chased only 83 with some nerves. Lewis Whittle impressed with 5-26 to bowl Tonge out for 82 before Bajan professional Jameel Stuart top-scored with 25 in a reply which slipped to 45-4 and 77-7.
Little Lever were eight-wicket winners away at Blackrod – win number 15.
Thomas Walker starred with 5-51 in Blackrod’s 101 all out before unbeaten opener Cameron Murray led a straightforward chase with 71.
The games between Astley Bridge and Padiham in the Premiership and Atherton and Walkden in the Championship were abandoned without a ball bowled, although the majority of sides beat the rain around the North West on Saturday.
The latter was a particular blow to third-placed Atherton’s chances of promotion.
Earby are champions of the Championship having won at Cherry Tree by 51 runs.
Earby’s 15th win in 21 gives them an unassailable lead at the top of the Championship.
A destructive middle-order 80 off 51 balls from South African OA Nandus McLean, including seven sixes, helped the visitors recover from 49-4 to post 242-9 before Cherry Tree fell short of chasing a revised 235 in 40 overs.
They were limited to 183-9, with Joseph Robinson taking four wickets.
Baxenden beat Ribblesdale Wanderers by 89 runs defending a revised target of 196 in 39 overs for win number 12, one which elevated them to joint second place in the table alongside Eagley, who didn’t play on Saturday.
The pair are level on 162 points, though Eagley have the advantage with two to play to Baxenden’s one.
Opener and local pro Ben Gorton top-scored with 58 in 188 -9 from 35 overs before a stunning 8-39 from 12.2 overs for Hamza Arshad bowled Ribblesdale out for 106.
Back in the Premiership, Barnoldswick won at home to bottom side Lostock, by seven wickets chasing 189, to keep their slim hopes of avoiding relegation alive, with opener Owais Shah hitting a brilliant unbeaten century.
Their fifth win of the summer was achieved as Lostock posted 188-8, with Muhammad Azmat, Wasique Ali and John Lambert all taking two wickets.
Shah then lit up the chase, achieved for the loss of only three wickets, with 116 not out off 82 balls with seven sixes.
Barnoldswick remain second from bottom but are now 16 points behind third-bottom Blackrod. Both have two to play.
Read won away at Salesbury by 28 runs on the back of a 189 all out total in 45 overs.
Their 13th win was set up by opener Oliver Dinning’s 52 off 55 balls before Salesbury, chasing a revised 121 in 23 overs, ended on 92-6. South African OA Zadian Muller and Sri Lankan pro Sehan Weerasinghe struck twice apiece for the third-placed team.
Kearsley are up to fourth with a nine-wicket win away at Farnworth, chasing a revised target of 163 in 25 overs with significant comfort.
Farnworth sub pro Jacques Snyman hit an excellent 103 off 69 balls in a 32-over total of 208-6; two wickets apiece for Irfan Kareem and Jack Scott.
Kearsley’s top three batters all then secured the win. Openers Mohmedruhan Tirmizi and South African OA Byron Giraudeaux contributed 66 not out and 45, added to by sub pro Mohammed Jamal’s 48 not out.
This was Kearsley’s 12th win, and they are on course to secure a Lancashire Knockout Cup spot by finishing in the top five.
And finishing in the Championship, Oswaldtwistle Immanuel’s fifth win of the season meant they jumped above opponents Brinscall and off the bottom of the table, winning away by six wickets chasing 92.
Brinscall were bowled out for 91, with local pro and captain Imran Abid taking 5-48. Wicketkeeper-opener James Clark then top-scored with 28 in reply. Abid also contributed 18 not out, including the winning run.
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Saturday September 5: Premiership – Kearsley v Farnworth Social Circle, Little Lever v Farnworth, Lostock v Blackrod, Padiham v Barnoldswick, Read v Astley Bridge, Salesbury v Tonge. Championship – Cherry Tree v Brinscall, Earby v Walkden, Oswaldtwistle Immanuel v Ribblesdale Wanderers, Eagley v Atherton.
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Captain Andy Gregory believes his Kearsley side are close to being able to challenge for the Premiership title in the Anthony Axford North West Cricket League.
Kearsley have enjoyed a progressive two seasons. After finishing ninth in the table in 2024, they finished fourth last season – a position they currently hold with two games of this summer remaining.
They have performed encouragingly in various cup competitions as well, including the quarter-finals of this season’s Lancashire Knockout Cup.
On Saturday, they claimed their 12th win in 20 games, away at Farnworth, doing it by nine wickets chasing a revised target of 163 in 25 overs.
Farnworth substitute professional Jacques Snyman hit an excellent 103 off 69 balls in a 32-over total of 208-6; two wickets apiece for Irfan Kareem and Jack Scott.
Kearsley’s top three batters all then secured the win after their target was adjusted because of the weather.
Openers Mohmedruhan Tirmizi and South African overseas amateur Byron Giraudeaux contributed 66 not out and 45, added to by sub pro Mohammed Jamal’s 48 not out.
“To be honest, we all rocked up not expecting to play an over,” said Gregory, of Saturday’s game. “But the umpires were like, ‘The ground’s fine, so as long as it isn’t raining too hard, we’ll start’.
“The ball at the end of our bowling innings wasn’t even round because it got so wet. But, at the same time, we wanted to get on.
“Their pro has played a fantastic innings.
“It was a fantastic chase, and our three lads at the top were unbelievable.”
The top five teams in the Premiership all qualify for next season’s Lancs Knockout, and Kearsley are extremely well placed with an eight-point gap to sixth-placed Salesbury and 24 still to play for.
But they want more in the coming seasons, ultimately to challenge the likes of champions Farnworth Social Circle and Little Lever for the top prize.
“It’s something we’ve talked about,” said Gregory.
“But, listen, if you’d have said to us last March or early April (2025) when we had only had three or four players, ‘You’ll qualify for the Lancs Knockout, get to the quarter-finals, get to the quarter-finals of the Hamer Cup and T20 and are challenging for Lancs Knockout again’, myself and the chairman (Steve Pellowe) would have snapped your hand off.”
Gregory continued: “You know, we’re sort of rueing our first half of the season.
“Apart from the two Little Lever games, we’ve not been beaten at all. There were a few games in the first half that we certainly should have won.
“We played Little Lever first game of the second half and lost. But since then, we’re unbeaten in eight with a tie in there.”
And in terms of progression, Gregory added: “Look, we didn’t get much luck with the pro (Karobo Mogotsi). He hasn’t had the best of seasons, and he didn’t bowl.
“We believe we’re that one quality spinner and perhaps someone who can play an innings like Jamal did on Saturday away from challenging for the league title.
“We’ve had early conversations, and we’d love a spin-bowling pro to supplement the options that we already have.
“We’re a pretty settled side from last year. We don’t envisage losing anybody.
“We would love to keep Byron, but he’s going home with his own ambitions of playing first-class cricket. We’ll just have to see how his winter goes.”
