Week one of the North West Cricket League Conference Premiership saw five games played, with the most comprehensive win coming at Piggott Park, where Farnworth Social Circle faced Ribblesdale Wanderers.

After winning the toss, Ribblesdale put Farnworth SC into bat, where they scored 257-7 off their 45 overs. Captain, Steven French top scored with 78 off 52 balls, with Chris Walsh (44) and Keane Mulligan (43 not out) adding to the total. In response, Ribblesdale only managed to score 65 runs before being bowled out as Chris Walsh took 3-18.

Last season’s Conference North champions, Cherry Tree, hosted Burnley Belvedere seconds which ended in a three-wicket victory for the home team. Burnley’s Mohammad Anas (32) top scored for the visitors which ended in them being bowled out for 113, with Brendan Arrowsmith taking 4-16. After a revised target of 97 from 34 overs, Cherry Tree scored 100 runs with seven wickets down, with Burnley’s Aadil Hussain getting 5-8.

Conversely, last season’s Conference South champions, Farnworth succumbed to defeat as they visited Salesbury. Batting first, Farnworth were bowled out for 114, with Michael Daley (30) top-scoring for the visitors after Sam Bristol took 4-35. After a revised target of 91 from 29 overs, Salesbury attained 91-5 with only four balls to spare, with wicketkeeper, Ethan Salt, top-scoring with 41.

In another rain-affected game, Foulridge firsts hosted Read. Batting first, Foulridge were bowled out for 128, with Jabbran Sajjad top-scoring with 54 after Dominic Heyes took 5-22. After a revised target of 94 from 26 overs, Read secured victory, scoring 95 runs with just three wickets down. Mohammed Zakriyah (33) and Henry Higson (32no) top-scored for the visitors, who took 12 points back to the Nori Arena.

In the final game, Little Lever hosted Barrowford firsts, which ended in a 12-run victory for the visitors. Batting first, Barrowford were bowled out for 150, with captain, Jonny Ormerod (33), top-scoring for the visitors, after Callum Hill starred with the ball, taking 6-34. In response, Little Lever were bowled out for 138 after Shuja Rashid took 4-25.

In the Conference Second Division, Henry Hindle took 6-16 as Atherton were dismissed for 58, Baxenden knocking these off for the loss of two wickets.

Haseeb Hanif, with 3-8, and Wasique Ali (4-4) combined to dismiss Eagley for 32, which Barnoldswick overcame for the loss of five wickets.

Fifth highest scorer of the day in the division was Barrowford’s Izzan Muhammed who made 41 out of his side’s 114, Harry Jackson taking 4-15. In a rain interrupted match, Lostock collapsed from 60-1 to 81-8 but recovered to reach the 101 required without losing another wicket.

Tom Westwood struck a half-century in Blackrod’s 157-5, Jonny ball taking 3-28 for Padiham, who then went on to win by three wickets with Raheen Hussain unbeaten on 45.

Kafeel Ishfaq took 4-25 as Chatburn were bowled out for 97, but the match was abandoned with Foulridge on 40-3.

Earby were reduced to 112 all out having been 104-3, Sabeel Khan with 4-23. Walkden then overtook the total for the loss of four wickets, this with the day’s top scorer Salman Younis hitting 62no.

Husnain Ali, with 5-22, helped bowl Feniscowles out for 95. Oswaldtwistle Immanuel appeared to be coasting to victory at 67-3, but lost four wickets for three runs and were eventually dismissed six runs short, Moazzam Ali doing most of the damage with 5-9.

Harvey Wild’s 47 guided Kearsley to 142, despite Cliff Collins’ 5-58. Tonge were dismissed for 72, Tahla Sanchez with 5-11.

Sajan Muthanna (4-19) and Kasun Udagedara (3-13) helped bowl out Whalley for 63, which Brinscall overtook for the loss of just one wicket.

Meanwhile, in the preliminary round of the Ramsbottom Cup there were half-centuries for: Ady Cooper (51), James Cooper (50), Jake Bailey (72) - all Astley Bridge, Sarath Babu (77) - Foulridge, Edward Lynch (60) - Tonge, Tony Gouldthorpe (52) - Baxenden, Jacob Ashworth (76) - Blackrod, Gary Barker (61) - Whalley, Amit Dashore (66) and Nikhil Patel (59) - Lostock, Manerb Alam (59) - Oswald Emmanuel, Luca Doyle (65) - Eagley.

Meanwhile, there were four-wicket hauls or better for: Abdullah Akhtar (5-10) - Astley Bridge, Harry Gaskell (4-16) - Atherton, Imran Karim (4-24) - Barrowford, Edward Tomlinson (4-1) - Baxenden, Owen Moss (4-4) - Blackrod, Josh French (4-28) and Chris Lane (4-26) - Farnworth SC, Oliver Bonnett Jones (4-17) - Lostock, Zameer Hussain (5-17) - Oswald Immanuel, Freddy Todd (4-43) - Eagley.

* Draws for the cup ties on Sunday, May 26: Ramsbottom Cup - Astley Bridge v Feniscowles, Farnworth SC v Read, Baxenden v Ribblesdale Wanderers, Lostock v Eagley, Earby v Farnworth, Little Lever v Blackrod, Barrowford first v Cherry Tree, Burnley Belvedere firsts v Oswaldtwistle Emanuel; Lawrenson Cup - Salesbury v Atherton, Foulridge firsts v Walkden, Kearsley v Foulridge seconds, Chatburn v Barnoldswick, Tonge v Brinscall, Whalley v Burnley Belvedere seconds, Padiham - bye, Barrowford seconds - bye.