Key Points
- Little Lever are the only team across both first-team divisions of the Anthony Axford North West Cricket League to win all three of their opening matches.
- They beat Lostock by five wickets at home, chasing 150.
- Lostock are at the bottom of the Premiership table after three defeats from three.
- Tonge, Farnworth Social Circle, Padiham, Astley Bridge and Read sit just behind Little Lever in a tight five-team log jam.
- In the Championship, Eagley and Cherry Tree share the top two spots after winning again on Saturday.
- Eagley beat Ribblesdale Wanderers by one wicket in a tense run chase.
- Cherry Tree defeated Walkden by six wickets after a strong all-round showing from new signing Ross Bretherton.
- Astley Bridge won a thriller at Blackrod by 12 runs.
- Tonge beat Barnoldswick by 42 runs, powered by Hashan Dumindu’s 125.
- Farnworth Social Circle beat Read by seven wickets in a clash between last season’s top two.
- Padiham won away at Kearsley by four wickets.
- Salesbury beat Farnworth by 52 runs.
- Atherton won at Brinscall by 65 runs.
- Earby remain unbeaten and are one of only two sides, alongside Little Lever, with a 100 per cent record this summer.
Bolton (Bolton Today) May 5, 2026 - Little Lever extended their perfect start to the Premiership season with a five-wicket home win over Lostock on Saturday, chasing 150 to stay top of the table and underline their early status as the team to beat in the Anthony Axford North West Cricket League.
The defeat left Lostock anchored at the bottom after a third straight loss, while the chasing pack, which includes Tonge, champions Farnworth Social Circle, Padiham, newly-promoted Astley Bridge and Read, remained tightly bunched just behind the leaders.
Little Lever’s victory was built on discipline with the ball and composure in the chase. Lostock were dismissed for 149 after James Richards, the new signing, impressed again with four wickets after taking the new ball. In reply, Adil Nisar top-scored with 42 as Little Lever completed a routine pursuit.
Why is Little Lever top of the Premiership?
Little Lever’s perfect start has put them alone at the summit of the Premiership after three games, and their consistency has set the standard for the division.
As reported by The Bolton News, Little Lever are the only side across both first-team divisions to have won all three of their opening fixtures, a record that gives them an early edge in a crowded title race.
Their success against Lostock also highlighted the value of new signings. Richards’ four wickets were central to restricting the visitors to a modest total, and the batting response was controlled rather than flashy, with Nisar providing the key contribution.
How did Lostock fare at Victory Road?
Lostock’s visit to Victory Road ended in another disappointing afternoon, with their batting unable to build a decisive total and their bowling unable to force a breakthrough in the chase.
The team have now lost all three of their matches and sit at the foot of the table. Their score of 149 was competitive in parts, but not enough against a home side that has found a way to keep winning in the early weeks of the campaign.
Who is chasing Little Lever in the Premiership?
A clutch of clubs remain within touching distance of the leaders after Saturday’s results, keeping the early Premiership table tightly packed.
Tonge, Farnworth Social Circle, Padiham, Astley Bridge and Read are all part of the five-team log jam just behind Little Lever. That congested group suggests the division is still in its opening phase, with little room for error and plenty of scope for movement in the coming weeks.
What happened in the Premiership at Blackrod?
One of the day’s tightest contests came at Blackrod, where newly-promoted Astley Bridge produced a gritty 12-run win while defending 176.
Astley Bridge posted 175-9, with opener Millen Patel top-scoring with 43. The visitors then had to withstand a late surge from Blackrod, who were 159-7 after 44 overs and still needed 17 to win with Sri Lankan professional Kavindu Kulasekara unbeaten on 65.
But the turning point came in the final over, when Joe Ducker removed Kulasekara with the first ball before later dismissing Jacob Ashworth. Blackrod finished on 163-9, and Ducker and Irfan Puda shared four wickets apiece.
How did Tonge beat Barnoldswick?
Tonge moved into second place in the early standings with a 42-run away win over newly-promoted Barnoldswick, and their triumph was driven by a commanding innings from Hashan Dumindu.
As reported by The Bolton News, the long-standing Sri Lankan professional struck 125 off 123 balls, including seven sixes, as Tonge reached 245-3. It was the sort of innings that changed the shape of the contest, placing Barnoldswick under pressure from the outset of their reply.
Barnoldswick were bowled out for 203. Alex Rodzoch led the attack with four wickets after taking the new ball, while Dumindu also contributed with the ball to cap an influential all-round performance.
How did Farnworth Social Circle perform against Read?
Champions Farnworth Social Circle won the contest between last season’s top two by beating Read by seven wickets.
Read were dismissed for 197, after which Social Circle chased the target with comfort. Bajan professional Jameel Stuart did the damage with the ball, claiming four wickets, before New Zealand overseas amateur Nathan Elliott top-scored with 59 to guide the reply.
The result means Read have now played three and won two this summer, leaving them firmly in contention even after falling short in this particular clash.
What happened in Padiham’s win at Kearsley?
Padiham collected their second victory of the campaign with a four-wicket success away at Kearsley in another high-scoring match.
Kearsley made 232-9 from their allotted overs, with wickets shared around, though South African overseas amateur Zander Van Tonder took three. Padiham then chased the target with 11 balls remaining, thanks largely to Declan Bailey’s run-a-ball 66 after the side had added a new signing to its batting resources.
The win keeps Padiham in the leading group and reflects the competitive balance in the Premiership, where several sides are still capable of stringing together winning runs.
How did Salesbury win at Farnworth?
Salesbury earned a notable 52-run victory away at Farnworth, defending 198-8 after setting a target of 199.
Captain Lewis Pearson anchored the innings with an unbeaten 65 from the middle order, giving Salesbury a defendable score on a ground where the hosts would have expected to compete strongly. Farnworth, however, were bowled out for 146.
New South African professional Juan James played the decisive role with the ball, taking four wickets with his off-spin to secure the victory.
What happened in the Championship at Eagley?
The Championship table remains just as competitive at the top, with Eagley and Cherry Tree occupying first and second place after both sides won on Saturday.
Eagley produced the day’s most dramatic finish, edging Ribblesdale Wanderers by one wicket while chasing 133. Ribblesdale were bowled out for 132 after new Pakistani professional Danish Aziz claimed 5-35 with his left-arm spin in a game dominated by bowling.
In response, Eagley relied on Adeel Baig, whose 64 was the best individual batting effort of the match. He fell with the score on 122-8, and when another wicket followed, the burden shifted to the final pair of James Fallows and captain Martin Eccles. They needed eight, and Eccles delivered seven of them, including the winning two.
How did Cherry Tree beat Walkden?
Cherry Tree followed up their strong start by beating Walkden by six wickets in a match shaped by Ross Bretherton’s all-round impact.
Bretherton, a new signing, took the new ball and returned 5-65, with Mark Hadfield supporting him with four wickets as Walkden were bowled out for 147. Cherry Tree then chased the target with Bretherton again at the centre of the action, this time with the bat, as he top-scored with 62.
The result underlined Cherry Tree’s balance and depth, and their position near the top suggests they will remain one of the sides to watch in the Championship.
Who else picked up Championship wins?
Atherton also stayed in the mix after beating Brinscall by 65 runs away from home, helped by a superb unbeaten century from new Indian professional Raghavendra Pratap.
Pratap made 125 not out to steer Atherton to 268-7, providing the backbone of their innings. Brinscall responded with 203-7, which included a century from their Sri Lankan professional Ravindu Rathnayake, but Bajan overseas amateur Jamaine Bullen took four wickets to help secure the win for Atherton.
What does Earby’s perfect start mean?
The report also ended by noting Earby’s unbeaten record, placing them alongside Premiership leaders Little Lever as the only other side with a 100 per cent record this summer in the NWCL.
That detail gives a broader picture of the early season: while Little Lever are leading the Premiership, Earby are also proving difficult to beat elsewhere in the competition. Their perfect record adds another layer of interest to what is already shaping up to be a tightly contested campaign.
What does this mean for the season ahead?
The early table suggests a season in which small margins may decide the outcome in both divisions. Little Lever has made the sharpest start, but Tonge, Farnworth Social Circle, Padiham, Astley Bridge and Read remain close enough to challenge if they can build momentum.
In the Championship, Eagley and Cherry Tree have set an early pace of their own, while Atherton and others have shown they can still disrupt the standings. With several overseas professionals and new signings already influencing matches, the league is beginning to take shape through both individual quality and team resilience.