Champions Little Lever took advantage of a slip-up from leaders Blackrod to set up a thrilling finale to this season’s Premiership title race in the Anthony Axford North West Cricket League on Saturday.

The pair - 15 wins apiece - are separated by just six points with two games remaining and 24 points available.

Hosts Little Lever (181, 20 games) beat Padiham by six wickets chasing 187, while Blackrod (187) were beaten by 51 runs at Farnworth Social Circle.

Little Lever’s latest success came as they chased 187. Substitute professional Luke Procter, the former Lancashire Championship winner, had an excellent day with three wickets in Padiham’s 186-9 and 73 not out chasing.

Lancashire’s past and future performed in the Premiership. Red Rose Academy leg-spinner, Haider Hussain, celebrated his recent England Under-19s call-up with a significant contribution for home side Social Circle against Blackrod. Their 11th win puts them seventh.

Hussain opened with 28 in 170 all out, to which Bajan professional Jameel Stuart contributed 46.

Blackrod’s Thushendra de Zoysa claimed 6-30, but that went unrewarded as his side were bowled out for 119 chasing. Seventeen-year-old Hussain’s leg-spin accounted for four wickets.

Hussain will play for England in an U19s tri-series against Scotland and Ireland this week.

In the Championship, Brinscall and Walkden both finished on 148 in a tie.

Hosts Brinscall limited Walkden to 148-9 from their 45 overs, including Ammad Afzal’s lower-order unbeaten 29 and South African overseas amateur Divon van Tonder’s four wickets.

Walkden recovered impressively from 70-6 before Brinscall recovered from 38-5 thanks to Kasun Udagedara’s 27. Like Afzal, he batted at number nine.

Brinscall advanced from 128-9 to 148-9 before Phil Lowe was trapped lbw by Walkden captain Mustafa Bashir with the last over’s second ball.

Bashir secured a nine-point haul with a brilliant 7-32 from 14.2 overs having taken the new ball.

Walkden are 10 points clear of third-placed Atherton, who bowled Whalley out for 40 in a 110-run away win.

Bajan pro Shayne Moseley opened with 46 in 150 all out before Zeeshan Alsam’s sensational new-ball 8-14 from seven overs skittled Whalley for win number 11.

Back in the Premiership, Salesbury jumped above Padiham to third courtesy of win number 13.

This one came by five wickets at an Astley Bridge side who have returned to the bottom of the table and are now 24 points adrift of third-bottom Lostock with two games remaining.

The two teams directly above them, Ribblesdale Wanderers and Lostock, both won.

Liam Parkinson struck twice in Astley Bridge’s 205-6, affecting a run out, too.

Lewis Pearson also struck once before top-scoring with an excellent 87no. He anchored a recovery from 49-3.

But, with a 23-point gap to leaders Blackrod, they realistically have too much to do to claim the title.

Ribblesdale Wanderers kept their hopes of avoiding relegation alive with victory - their third this season - at Farnworth, by seven wickets.

Ian Britcliffe returned a superb 7-54 from 11.5 overs. He put the skids under Farnworth, who were bowled out for 138. In reply, unbeaten substitute pro Ruhan Pretorius top-scored with 84.

Ribblesdale are 16 points behind third-bottom Lostock with two games remaining.

Lostock also won by seven wickets, at Tonge - their fifth win. Captain James Evans impressed with 6-11 from seven overs as Tonge subsided from 40-2 to 76 all out before Tom Scriven top-scored with 27no in reply.

Eighth-placed Kearsley made it 10 wins, 10 losses in this season’s Premiership as they beat fellow mid-table side Eagley on home turf.

Naveed Gondal was the star of their 96-run win. He contributed a middle-order 54no to a 191 all out total before taking the new ball and returning 5-31 to bowl Eagley out for just 95.

The Brinscall versus Walkden game produced the third tie of this season’s Championship, of which Read are champions and Feniscowles are currently bottom.

Those two met on Saturday, with visitors Read claiming a 101-run success.

Captain and opener Will Wrathall backed up a century last weekend as Read clinched the title and added 97 in their latest fixture, underpinning 226-8.

In reply, Feniscowles were all out for 125. New-ball pair Joe Halstead and South African OA Zadian Muller claimed three wickets apiece. This was their 17th win in 18 matches.

Sixth-placed Earby won a mid-table battle with Barnoldswick by 19 runs defending 118 - their ninth win in 19.

Sri Lankan pro Raveen Yasas top-scored with 45 in 117 all out, a total which could have been more with Earby having been 40-1. But it was still enough.

South African OA Stefan Breuninger led the way with 4-16 from 11.1 overs having taken the new ball as Barnoldswick dug in for 98-8.

Cherry Tree’s sixth win from 18, this one at home to Baxenden, all but confirms they will avoid finishing bottom.

They are 19 points clear of neighbours Feniscowles with two games remaining. They won by 61 runs following their 210-7.

Opener Charlie Elwood was excellent for a well-paced 82 before Zain Ul-Hassan took the new ball and returned 5-36 in Baxenden’s 149 all out.