MAXIMUM masters Baxenden aim to take another giant step to their first Ribblesdale League crown since 1993 tomorrow when they head to Padiham looking to make it 11 from 11.

Ian Austin’s side have won their first 10 games and Read’s loss to Edenfield last weekend means they already hold a 24-point gap over their nearest rivals with less than half the season gone.

Padiham are another 14 points adrift of the leaders – but are capable of big things on their day and will provide a stern test of Bash.

And the clash could see fireworks between the two professionals as Baxenden’s brilliant Babar Naeem - in red-hot form with both bat and ball – goes head-to head with Padiham’s Kashif Siddique, who can change the course of a game with one of his destructive knocks.

Jon Harvey’s Read were shocked by last weekend’s heavy loss and will look to bounce back to form tomorrow against reigning champions Great Harwood, who have hit form themselves with skipper Russ Whalley hot with the bat.

Earby welccome derby rivals Barnoldswick to the Applegarth in a game that is always keenly contested, while there is another derby at Station Road as the league’s bottom two sides meet.

Whalley welcome their neighbours Clitheroe, whose inability to get away from the foot of the table is a major surprise. But Peter Dibb’s men know that a win tomorrow will see them move above Whalley.

Blackburn Northern are struggling and they go to Edenfield, while Cherry Tree, whose fine start to the season seems like a long time ago, head into the Ribble Valley for their clash with Gary Hunt’s Ribblesdale Wanderers.

Tomorrow’s games Earby v Barnoldswick, Edenfield v Blackburn N, Gt Harwood v Read, Padiham v Baxenden, Ribblesdale W v Cherry Tree, Settle v Oswaldtwistle, Whalley v Clitheroe