Little Lever’s home defeat to Farnworth Social Circle in the latest round of matches in the Anthony Axford North West Cricket League Premiership has strengthened Blackrod’s hand in the title race.

Before Saturday, Blackrod were 14 points clear of Little Lever. They ended it 17 clear of Salesbury, with the champions dropping from second to fourth.

Blackrod beat Farnworth by nine wickets at home - their 13th win in 16 - thanks to talismanic Sri Lankan-born local Thushendra De Zoysa, who had quite the day.

He starred with 6-37 from 10 overs as Farnworth were limited to 112-9 in 44 overs before top-scoring in a routine chase with an unbeaten 54 from number three.

Little Lever suffered a fourth loss. Visitors Farnworth Social Circle chased 158 to win by six wickets, securing their ninth success to remain seventh.

In similar fashion to Blackrod with De Zoysa, Social Circle were indebted to their outstanding Bajan professional Jameel Stuart, who claimed four wickets and then crashed 10 sixes in a brutal 46-ball 89 not out having come in at 39-2.

Liam Parkinson superb seven-wicket haul boosted Salesbury’s title hopes in the Anthony Axford North West Cricket League as they beat struggling Ribblesdale Wanderers on Saturday, jumping to second place in the Premiership.

Off-spinner Parkinson’s career best 7-31 from 15 overs ensured Ribblesdale were bowled out for 118 before Australian overseas amateur Brandon Faber top-scored with 41 in reply, Salesbury winning for the 11th time in 15 matches - this by three wickets.

They leap-frogged champions Little Lever into second and are 17 points behind leaders Blackrod with a game in hand and seven to play. Ribblesdale, meanwhile, remain second-bottom with only two wins from 16, 13 points from safety.

Everybody in the Premiership, bar Salesbury and Little Lever (24 points adrift), have six to play. Their game in hand is against each other later this month.

Padiham are third, 22 points off top spot.

Their 11th win came by three wickets at home to Tonge, who they bowled out for 128. They were celebrating Oliver Parr’s brilliant career best 6-24 from 8.1 overs.

In reply, Max Seedall top-scored with a middle order 36 not out, leading a recovery from 13-2.

Mid-table Kearsley deepened Astley Bridge’s relegation fears with a four-wicket away win.

Kearsley’s eighth success was achieved as former captain Cameron Murray enjoyed a good all-round day with two wickets and a quick-fire 40 opening the batting. Naveed Gondal and skipper Neylan Chauhan claimed three wickets apiece as Bridge were bowled out for 100. Kearsley then all but settled the contest before slipping from 65-1 to 90-6 in reply.

Bridge are now cut adrift at the bottom with only two wins. They are 25 points off third-bottom Lostock, who lost at Eagley by five wickets.

The latter two swapped places in the table after James Fallows took the new ball and claimed four wickets to bowl Lostock out for 142 before Pakistani pro Ayaz Tasawar steered a chase which had slipped to 26-3 with an unbeaten 56.

In the Championship, leaders Read (151 points from 14 games) had a free Saturday. But they remain strongly placed despite chasing pair Walkden (135 from 14) in second and Atherton (123 from 15) in third both winning.

Walkden’s 11th win came by 14 runs at home against Whalley, who were bowled out for 116 chasing 131.

Tail-ender Muhammad Rasheed top-scored with 36 in 130-9 from 31 overs for Walkden, whose bowling was led by three wickets apiece for captain Mustafa Bashir and Zohaib Shehzad.

Atherton’s ninth triumph kept them firmly in the hunt, this one coming by 70 runs at home to bottom side Cherry Tree, who they bowled out for just 72 as the visitors chased 143.

Captain Jack Welch underpinned Atherton’s 142-6 in 43 overs with an unbeaten 53 before Harry Morgan wrapped up victory with remarkable figures of 6-9 from 5.4 overs.

Barnoldswick won at home to Brinscall by four wickets chasing only 96.

Sajid Akhtar was fabulous for 5-13 from 15 overs having taken the new ball, while Fezaan Imtiaz backed him up with four wickets as Brinscall were bowled out for 95.

In reply, wicketkeeper Majid Inayat top-scored with 31, though Imtiaz’s unbeaten 22 was important to calm any nerves after Barnoldswick had slipped to 67-6.

Their sixth win maintains their mid-table position.

There were mid-table triumphs for Earby and Oswaldtwistle.

Earby’s seventh success - this one by seven wickets - was set up by a fine bowling display at home to Feniscowles, who they bowled out for 99 thanks to Luke Hipgrave and Lee Parkinson sharing nine wickets.

Hipgrave led the way with a season’s best 5-15 from 9.1 overs before Sri Lankan pro Raveen Yasas top-scored in a successful chase with 35.

And, arguably, the game of the day came at Baxenden as Oswaldtwistle won by just three runs defending a 154 target.

Pro Mini Bhada starred with bat and ball for Oswaldtwistle, who made 153 before Baxenden fell from 134-6 to 150 all out. Bhada top-scored with 52 and later took four wickets.