Read won the clash of the Premiership leaders and the reigning champions on Saturday as they beat Blackrod to maintain their winning start to life in the Anthony Axford North West Cricket League’s top flight.
Read’s sixth success of 2025 - by a 14-run margin - came on the the back of a 206-6 total, including a middle-order 50 off 68 balls for Joe Halstead. He was backed up by a series of other contributors.
Incredibly, however, Blackrod fell from 113-0 to 192 all out in reply.
Thushendra De Zoysa made an excellent 99 not out, but Read’s Sri Lankan professional Sehan Weerasinghe spun his way to a decisive four-wicket return.
They lead the way at the top of the Premiership on 66 points, 13 clear of second-placed Padiham after six rounds.
Cherry Tree moved top of the Championship courtesy of their fifth win in six, this one by six wickets at fellow promotion hopefuls Astley Bridge, whose 153 all out was well short of being competitive.
The visitors chased down their target with ease courtesy of an opening 66 from captain Charlie Elwood. Earlier, local pro Mini Bhada opened the bowling and struck five times with his spin, while Andreas Sudnik also claimed four wickets.
Premiership strugglers Farnworth claimed their first league win of the season, in thrilling fashion - by two wickets chasing 219 at Atherton.
After five straight defeats, they built on their only success - in T20 cricket - as former captain Simon Booth hit a middle-order 57 with four sixes.
When he fell, they were 195-6 and slipped to 215-8. But Nakash Qamar finished 17no and hit the winning runs. Australian professional Riley Vernon claimed three wickets and top-scored with a measured 44.
They were replaced at the foot of the table by Lostock, who were beaten at home to Farnworth Social Circle. Their fourth win elevated them to third behind Padiham.
Social Circle were bowled out for 161, which included Bajan pro Jameel Stuart’s unbeaten 81. Basil Sultan then took the new ball and struck four times in Lostock’s 141 all out. Faiz Khandu claimed three wickets and Stuart two.
The middle of the top-flight table is jam-packed.
Kearsley (34 points) are ninth with three wins from six, only nine points behind Little Lever in fourth with the same record.
Kearsley beat Little Lever at home by eight runs in an enthralling contest which saw the visitors finish on 241-8 in reply to 249-6.
Kearsley were indebted to an opener’s 95 off 118 balls from Indian pro Ajay Rohera and a late 32no off 13 from Irfan Kareem.
Little Lever were 129-2 in reply with Australian overseas amateur Ryleigh Cameron unbeaten on 90. But they fell narrowly short, with Rohera and Kareem claiming three wickets apiece.
Left-arm spinner Luca Doyle claimed a fabulous 6-31 from 13.4 overs having opened the bowling as Eagley claimed an impressive 134-run home victory against Salesbury, who were bowled out for 70 chasing a target of 205.
Earlier, opener Phil Ingram top-scored with 48 off 53 balls as Eagley posted 204-8 to set themselves on the way to a third win added to three defeats. Salesbury, meanwhile, lost for the second time.
Second-placed Padiham claimed a come-from-behind victory at Tonge as they defended their battling 145-8 to win by 27 runs - their fourth win of the summer.
None of their batters made it to 30, with Callum Clarke’s 25 their top score. In reply, Tonge were cruising at 74-1 before losing their last nine wickets for 46 to fall to 122 all out.
Oliver Parr was Padiham’s hero with a stunning 6-12 from 5.1 overs.
In the Championship, Cherry Tree (60 points) hold a nine-point lead at the top over Barnoldswick, whose second defeat of 2025 came at home to Whalley by 52 runs.
Whalley’s third win was achieved on the back of a 164-8 total and a polished bowling display, which saw the hosts bowled out for just 112.
Homegrown pro, Levi Wolfenden, top-scored with 42 for the visitors before he claimed three cheap wickets having taken the new ball.
Brinscall claimed their second win of the summer, by 42 runs at home to Ribblesdale Wanderers, who were 141 all out replying to 183-5.
Brinscall’s Sri Lankan pro Kasun Abeyrathne top-scored with an opener’s 82 before Chris Ware took a new-ball ‘four-for’.
And Oswaldtwistle Immanuel’s fourth win elevated them to third in the table. They were 66-run winners at home to Earby - 117 all out also in reply to 183-5.
Aussie OA Luke Sirianni hit a superb middle-order 100 off 101 balls to fashion a recovery from 84-4 before Zohaib Khan claimed a new-ball five-wicket haul.
Saturday’s fixtures: Premiership - Atherton v Read, Blackrod v Little Lever, Farnworth Social Circle v Tonge, Kearsley v Lostock, Padiham v Eagley, Salesbury v Farnworth; Championship - Cherry Tree v Barnoldswick, Earby v Walkden, Oswaldtwistle Immanuel v Brinscall, Ribblesdale Wanderers v Astley Bridge, Whalley v Baxenden; Sunday’s fixtures: Championship - Oswaldtwistle Immanuel v Baxenden, Ribblesdale Wanderers v Walkden.
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