Anthony Axford NWCL Conference Round-Up 2024
By Ray Taylor
The latest round of the Anthony Axford North West Cricket League Conference Premiership saw a local derby between Farnworth Social Circle and Farnworth which the latter won to themselves one point behind league leaders Social Circle with a game in-hand.
Farnworth scored 194-9 with Zahid Butt top-scoring with 55 after David Tonge took 4-63. In reply, Social Circle was bowled out for 168 with Chris Walsh top-scoring with 54 after Mehr Khan took 4-16.
Astley Bridge won their second game in-a-row as they hosted Burnley Belvedere 2nds. The latter was dismissed for 134 with Hashim Akhtar (3-26) and Ramesh Patel (3-53) both taking 3 wickets. After being 69-8, Astley Bridge managed to win the game being 9 wickets down thanks to a 44-run partnership between Hashim Akhtar (32) and Abdullah Akhtar (23 not out), despite Amir Abbas taking 5-43.
Bottom placed Foulridge 1sts got a shock win as they hosted title contenders, Barrowford 1sts. The latter was dismissed for 114 after Shahbaz Munir shined with the ball, taking 6-37. Foulridge then won the game by 4 wickets after 32.3 overs.
Little Lever boosted their chances of winning the league after a victory at home against Cherry Tree. The hosts were bowled out for 161 with Preston Hayhurst top-scoring with 49 after Daniel Lord took 4-31. Cherry Tree waa then dismissed for 104 after Paul Hewart took 5-23.
Read won their 3rd game in-a-row as they hosted Ribblesdale Wanderers. The latter was dismissed for 127 after Isaac Spence took 5-23. Read then won the game by 5 wickets with Elliot Lowes top-scoring with 41.
Padiham have 147 points from 15 games in the second division. On Saturday they amassed 332-9 from their 45 overs, Toby Uttley-Muldoon (141) and Rhys Meehan (65) adding 159. Matt Crompton took 4-42 for Baxenden who were then dismissed for 120, Tim Drugan scoring 65 of these, Jimmy Gray taking 4-66 and Harry Starkie 5-51.
Unar Saadat had 4-16 as Foulridge seconds were dismissed for 61. Burnley Beldevere’s six wicket win leaves them in second place one point behind Padiham but with a game in hand.
Jacob Ashworth took 4-44 in Oswald Immanuel’s 148-9, but Blackrod were then restricted to 123-8.
Chatburn’s dismissal for 65 was largely due to Dhanushka Lakhan’s 4-24, Brinscall then going on to win by five wickets despite Michael Wright’s 4-26.
Raj Pushparajah recorded figures of 5-50 in Earby’s 153. Kearsley won a close match by two wickets thanks to Ayyan Mehmood’s half century, Jason Lockley with 5-57.
Three other players with fifty plus were Feniscowles Mark McGovern and Joe Callaghan and Barrowford seconds Arsalaan Ali during Feniscowles comfortable victory. Hamid Bushy took 4-54 and and Syed Shah 5-20.
Ehteasham Ali and Mitchell Ferguson shared all ten wickets equally as Tonge were bowled out for 97. Ali then rescued Whalley from 36-5 with 42 runs in their four wicket victory, Rob Tully 5-45.
