Clitheroe’s failure to win either game of their double header leaves the Ribblesdale League title race wide open.

Maximum points from their games against Baxenden and rivals Padiham would have made Clitheroe hot favourites with just four matches remaining.

However, the Chatburn Road outfit were involved in a tie at Back Lane on Saturday and suffered defeat to Padiham last night.

Against Baxenden, the leaders were bowled out for 154. But that looked a substantial total when the home side slumped to 15-4.

Instead, Baxenden batted their way back into contention, helped by Mark Rishton’s 65.

They were left needing three off nine balls and one off the final over. But in one final twist Clitheroe dismissed Callum Dunne to gain nine vital points.

It got worse yesterday as third placed Padiham gained a vital victory.

Clitheroe could only manage 88-9 in their 45 overs before Kashif Siddique’s unbeaten 42 earned the visitors a four-wicket win.

Read are second, 10 points behind, after two wins against fellow challengers Padiham and Ribblesdale Wanderers.

Jon Harvey hit 61 not out in Read’s 243-5 against Wanderers. The visitors struggled from the start and were all out for 96.

Baxenden, now fifth, kept alive their hopes with a 90 run success over Earby in the second of their two fixtures.

Earby should have saved some of the runs from Saturday’s 239-0 against Settle when Craig Walton hit 12 boundaries and seven sixes in his undefeated 142.

Against the champions, Earby were bowled out for 62 with Gary Sudworth taking 6-14.

Cherry Tree are fourth, two points behind Padiham thanks to back-to-back wins over Edenfield and Whalley.

Paul Turner (78) and Joe Bolton (7-28) were the architects of Saturday’s win over Edenfield while Andreas Sudnik claimed 6-15 yesterday as Whalley were bowled out for 69 chasing 126 to win.