COLNE Cricket, with only four games to play, threw down the gauntlet to Bolton's Bar Lane with a thumping 14 points win away to Burnley's Greenhill, to move 10 points clear at the top of the Premier League.

Glynn Shuttleworth was the best for the Cricketers with a 21-9 win, which almost confirms his winning of the North West Fire Protection Merit.

Despite Colne's win, Bar Lane gained a magnificent 12-2 win over Burnley's St Andrews, who had Simon Wilcox to thank for avoiding the whitewash. Bar Lane's Lee Evans 21-4 was the best for the Bolton outfit, and showed just why people are tipping him to become a major force in the game.

With the Bolton boys still having a game in hand, at East Lancs they're still not out of the seemingly two horse race.

Darwen Subs must have ended their title hopes as they slumped to a disastrous 10-4 home defeat against local rivals East Lancs. Clough 21-19 was the best for the Subs, with Wilson 21-0 the best for the visitors.

R Utility continued their late scourge of form with an unbelievable 14-0 away win at Colne British Legion, who have showed good home form this season, and makes the win all the more surprising. Whelan 21-2 was the best for the Helmshore outfit, who are taking a mid-table position after spending the early part of the season at the bottom.

The Globe v Turton game was cancelled due to Federation games.

This week the Hille Cup Final at Darwen Subs, starting at 11am.

P W L D Pt

Colne Cricket ... 14 10 4 0 132

Bar Lane ... 13 9 4 0 122

East Lancs ... 13 8 5 0 106

Darwen Subs... 14 9 5 0 106

Globe ... 13 9 3 1 103

St Andrews ... 14 8 6 1 99

R Utility ... 14 4 10 0 88

Turton... 13 5 7 1 77

Colne Br Leg ... 14 3 11 0 62

Greenhill ... 14 1 12 1 57

Merit

W Ave

G Shuttleworth... 13 125

J Bentley... 12 89

M Yarwood... 11 83

A Handford... 10 63

L Evans... 9 52

J Mort... 8 46

A Starkie... 5 43

G Wood... 8 41

D Fryer... 6 40

S Clamp... 9 38

P Brett... 8 37

D Whittle... 6 37

P Sutcliffe... 6 35

W Simpson... 8 33

A Croxhall... 7 33

S Gilmore... 7 32

B Howarth... 7 31

A Pilkington... 7 31

F Lord... 9 30

W McClellan... 7 28