Anthony Axford NWCL Conference Round-Up Weekend 3/4 May
By Ray Taylor & Coby Donnelly
In the second round of the Anthony Axford North West Cricket League Conference Premiership, Cherry Tree, Burnley Belvedere 2nds, and Barrowford 1sts continued their unbeaten start to the season, while Feniscowles 1sts was the only team left without gaining any points across both match weeks.
Cherry Tree won in a close game as they hosted Farnworth Social Circle. The latter scored 218-9 with Andrew Wareing top-scoring with 65 as Cherry Tree’s Jack Fenwick took 4-48. The hosts then won the game, 9 down with only 2 balls to go, as opener Craig Kennedy scored 53 while Social bowler, Daniel Hughes, took 4-28.
Burnley Belvedere 2nds won in a high-scoring match as they visited Padiham. The hosts scored 256-9 with Cameron Thorne (87) and Raheen Hussain (73) scoring the majority of the runs despite Aadil Hussain taking an impressive 5-60. Burnley then won the game by 6 wickets after 33.1 overs as Ali Zar (73 not out), Amir Abbas (60), and Saqib Ali (55) all scored half-centuries.
Barrowford 1sts also saw victory on the road as they visited Little Lever. The visitors dismissed the hosts for 103 after Aqib Saffi shone with the ball, taking 7-35. Barrowford then won the game by 5 wickets.
In a low-scoring game, Salesbury managed to come out on top as they visited Read. The visitors were bowled out for 124 as Ethan Salt scored 50, while Read bowler, Jamie Woodall, took 4-25. The hosts were then dismissed for a dismal 75 after Harvey Vause took 6-11.
Lastly, Walkden had a comfortable victory as they hosted Feniscowles 1sts. The latter were dismissed for 162, and Walkden won the game by 8 wickets thanks to a fantastic partnership between Umer Ishaq (54 not out) and Salman Younis (53 not out).
In Conference 2, Blackrod won in a close game against Baxenden. Blackrod scored 164-9 as Baxenden bowler, Lewis Whitford took 4-56. Baxenden was then dismissed for 152 despite Adam Nawaz scoring 56, while Ewan Phillips took 5-36.
Burnley Belvedere 1sts had a comfortable victory as they hosted Brinscall. The hosts dismissed Brinscall for 96 as Hamid Zaman (4-30) and Umair Saadat (4-22) took 4 wickets apiece. Burnley then won the game by 6 wickets.
Foulridge 1sts won as they hosted Barnoldswick. The latter bowled the hosts out for 183 as Imran Qamar top-scored with 66, while Muhammad Azmat took an amazing 7-44. Barnoldswick was then dismissed for 88 as Faisal Mehmood (4-14) and Abrar Sarwar (4-15) took 4 wickets each.
Astley Bridge won as they visited Lostock. The visitors batted first and scored 220-5 with runs being shared. Lostock only managed to score 185-7 off their 45 overs, with skipper James Mcloughlin top-scoring with 64.
Ribblesdale Wanderers had a comfortable victory as they visited Oswaldtwistle Immanuel. The latter was dismissed for 80, and Ribblesdale knocked that off with 6 wickets to spare as Stewart Trotter scored an unbeaten 39.
In Conference 3, Rohan Muhammed 5-35 and Tajmal Hussain 3-21 were chiefly responsible for dismissing Kearsley for 87, Barrowford seconds then overtaking this total for the loss of four wickets.
Lucas Lockley struck 82 for Earby in their 159, Tom Johnson with 4-44. Foulridge then slipped from 58-1 to 107 all out, Lockley and Tom Johnson with three wickets each.
Alfie Owens (128) and Jacob Lerigo (87) added 167 together as Eagley reached 345. Under the circumstances Ehtesham Ali recorded a creditable 6-55 for Feniscowles seconds, who were then dismissed for 46, Oliver Tuck 4-11, Noah Smith 3-0 and Freddie Todd 3-33.
In the final match on Saturday, Liam Boyle was top scorer with 86 in Whalley’s 220-9, Ian Nuttall 3-30 and Wayne Cook 4-45. Atherton’s responded with 104, Ethan Ditchfield the pick of Whalley’s bowlers taking 4-30.
In the Ramsbottom Cup on Sunday Foulridge firsts fell just three runs short of Astley Bridge’s 274, having been 228-8. Ady Cooper recorded a century in an opening partnership of 160 with Saubaan Khan for Bridge, Jabbran Sajjad hitting 80 and Hashim Akhtar taking 4-39 in the Foulridge innings.
Ian Nuttall took 3-23 as Eagley totaled 177, but Atherton fell from 37 without loss to 99 all out, Will Owens 3-14.
Barnoldswick recovered from 170-8 to reach 250 (Fezzan Imtiaz 62) then dismissed Lostock for 119.
Stewart Trotter’s 85 helped Ribblesdale Wanderers recover from 83-6 to post 217-8, dismissing Barrowford’s seconds for 156 (Ulfat Ali 61, Jack Fielding 4-24).
Marcus Dawson’s 125 provided almost half of Tonge’s 252-8, but Chatburn overtook this for the loss of four wickets, Mark Nerenberg 93 and John Hargreaves 60.
Another opening batter centurion was Blackrod’s Lucas Ashworth, but like Dawson he still ended on the losing side with Michael Timmis 51 not out in Cherry Tree’s seven wicket victory.
Earby recovered from 121-8 thanks largely to George Gregson’s half century. Brinscall were then restricted to 129-9.
Farnworth Social’s 242 included 75 for Josh French and 4-60 for Harry Starkie. Padiham were well in the game at 117-3 but were dismissed for 179 (Zac Wilson 4-36).
Simon Turner (80) and Chris Bleasdale (63) were Feniscowles main contributors in their 238-8. Baxenden just reaching their double century in response.
There were half centuries for Preston Heyhurst, Matthew Pendlebury and Callum Hill in Little Lever’s 274-8. Burnley Beldevere first team made 241 (Nazakat Mehmood 72, Usair Ahmed 58 and Naeem Patel 4-50).
A half century for Abdul Imtiaz was the largest contribution to Kearsley’s 120, Jabbar Ahmed taking 4-23 for Oswaldtwistle Immanuel who went on to win by six wickets.
Andrew Rushton’s 3-12 was the top bowling performance in Salesbury’s 125. Read then recovered from 48-3 to win by six wickets.
