The summer’s final day – one heavily affected by rain – began with Social Circle 11 points clear of Little Lever with 12 to play for. To pinch the title, Little Lever needed to bowl Social Circle out but were thwarted by some resolute batting and the weather.
Little Lever went on to win a shortened game by seven wickets chasing 88 in 39 overs, but a 10-point haul left them narrowly short of adding to the crown they won back in 2023.
Social Circle, who lost their last two games, were indebted to David Tonge, who batted 72 balls for 15 not out, and five off 49 from Daniel Hughes in the middle order.
Rain delayed the start, hence a 39-over game, with Thomas Walker excellent for 5-21 from 13 overs having taken the new ball for Little Lever.
With their title hopes gone, Little Lever chased with comfort thanks largely to Cameron Murray’s opening 67 off 37 balls, winning inside 13 overs.
Social Circle finished the season on 217 points with 18 wins and three defeats from their 22 games, Little Lever on 216 with 17 wins and three defeats.
Only four games were played across both the Premiership and Championship, with six abandoned without a ball bowled; four in the top flight and two in the second tier.
Those abandoned in the Premiership were Astley Bridge v Salesbury, Barnoldswick v Read, Padiham against Blackrod and Tonge against Kearsley. In the Championship, not a ball was bowled between Eagley and Oswaldtwistle Immanuel and Ribblesdale Wanderers and Cherry Tree.
Barnoldswick’s washout sealed their relegation from the top flight, while Salesbury confirmed fifth place to join Kearsley, Read, Farnworth Social Circle and Little Lever in next year’s Lancashire Knockout Cup.
In the Championship, Eagley’s five points confirmed second place and promotion alongside champions Earby.
Saturday was a day for two retiring club legends. Social Circle captain Christian Walsh called time on his first-team career and will drop down to play in the seconds for 2027, while Farnworth wicketkeeper-batter Simon Booth also played his last game before retirement.
Booth even struck three times with the ball in Farnworth’s home win over bottom-side and relegated Lostock.
Farnworth v Lostock, a 42 overs per side game, was the only other Premiership game to be played.
Farnworth batted first and posted 250-6 thanks to a superb 112 not out off 120 balls from Liam Smith at number three. Chris Baxendale also contributed a brisk 53 late on.
Farnworth won it by 71 runs. And Booth took the wicketkeeping gloves off, took the ball and returned 3-21 from 4.4 overs medium pacers, including the winning wicket of Harrison Adderley, as Lostock were bowled out for 179 chasing 251.
Farnworth finished eighth in the table with eight wins from 22 games.
In the Championship, Atherton won at Brinscall by nine wickets chasing 204 in 44 overs for their 11th win in 22 games. They finished third, 15 points behind second-placed and promoted Eagley.
Sri Lankan professional Ravindu Rathnayake starred for Brinscall with 114 not out off 115 balls. He shared a third-wicket 190 unbroken from 13-2 with opener Liam Winstanley in 203-2 in 44. Winstanley contributed a patient 70 not out.
Atiq Shah claimed both wickets for Atherton, whose opener Oliver Gredecki top-scored with a well-paced 90 not out off 109 balls. He shared a second-wicket 147 unbroken with Sawan Kankanange, who contributed 79 not out off 81.
The chase was concluded in the 36th over.
Walkden also won for the 11th time in 22 games and finished fifth. They triumphed by 122 runs at home to Baxenden, who ended the season just above them in fourth.
Walkden posted a commanding 281-9 from 45 overs, with Indian overseas amateur Soham Panvalkar contributing 79 off 66 balls and Mohammad Patel 81 off 89.
They brilliantly recovered Walkden from 68-4 to 225-4 with a 157 partnership before Baxenden were bowled out for only 159 in reply.
Four bowlers claimed two wickets apiece for the home side; Kavindu Amantha, Azan Riaz, Umar Khan and Rayyan Kanthariyawala.
******
“We could either shut up shop for 20 overs to try and make sure they didn’t bowl us out or try and and post a score. You have to back yourselves one way or the other. We went with the first, and it worked.
“David Tonge played brilliantly for 15 not out off 72 balls, Danny Hughes as well for five off 49.
“Look, amazing. I’ve never done that before, to go back-to-back, and I’m not sure how many have either. It’s a difficult achievement, and the boys have done incredibly well.
“We wouldn’t have wanted it to get to this stage, clearly. We would have liked to have got it done at Kearsley last weekend. But Little Lever are a good side who pushed us. Every credit to them for that.
“I’m immensely proud of all the boys, and it’s a nice way for me to sign off and leave them in a place where they could maybe go three in a row. That would be quite something, wouldn’t it.”
Walsh continued: “Max is going to take over. He’s been vice captain for the season and has done a great job. He’s learnt a lot over the last couple of years.
“We have a good young side, which is what you try and do – churn your kids out, hope they turn into a good group of experienced lads and you leave them to it.”
Asked to compare and contrast this success with last season’s triumph, Walsh said: “Last year, when you think about what people said, ‘Jameel Stuart CC’ to this year, it’s different.
“Jameel hasn’t had as good a season by his standards, but you look at our stats and Max has kicked on, Nathan’s (Elliott( kicked on, Basil (Sultan) has done the same, Lewis (Whittle) has had a brilliant year for a 16 or 17-year-old, Archie (Walsh) will have won the keeping at 16.
“You always want your younger lads to go again and get better. That’s what it’s about. And they have done.
“I’d say this year is a complete team effort where you see these kids stand up and say, ‘I’m here to be counted’.
“You can’t win the league every year, but it’s about competing in the right way. We don’t pay the most money, but we’re competitive.
“The second team also is crucial as well because that’s where the young learn.
“I think I’ve won five or six now, and they’re all different. But this is a special one, for sure.”
To highlight Walsh’s point about a complete team effort, Bajan professional Stuart was the second leading run-scorer across both the Premiership and Championship with 977, 10 behind Kearsley’s South African overseas amateur Byron Giraudeaux.
