An Accrington bowler has probably wrecked Baxenden’s chances of picking up the Houldsworth Ribblesdale League title.

Shahrukh Khan finished with 6-15 just a couple of weeks after joining bottom club Edenfield from the Lancashire League to inflict a shock league loss on the defending champions on Saturday.

Even when Edenfield blasted 90 off their final 10 overs to post a target of 156, third-placed Baxenden always appeared favourites.

Jim Flitcroft top-scored with 35 for the Rossendale side while Stephen Molloy claimed 3-14 from 10 tight overs.

And there was still no sign of the drama to follow when Bash progressed to 101-1, helped by 39 from professional Kamran Younas and opener Callum Waddington’s 26. However, both were among Khan’s six victims and inexplicably, their last nine wickets fell for just 26 runs, giving Edenfield a 28-run win – only their third league victory of the season – and hurting Bash’s title hopes.

Khan was at Accrington CC up until he was 14 and has been playing at Enfield CC in the Lancashire League for the last couple of years but, with bowling chances limitedthere, he moved to the Ribblesdale League side a couple of weeks ago.

The 18-year-old had already taken a hat-trick in Edenfield’s seconds and progressed to the firsts to haunt Bash.

Baxenden would have wanted to get that out of their system in their Ramsbottom Cup clash at Oswaldtwistle Immanuel against leaders Barnoldswick but the rain put paid to that.

The final has been rescheduled for August Bank Holiday Monday (August 27)

Baxenden are now 39 points adrift of Barnoldswick, whose only challengers appear to be Read.

And Baxenden could hinder Read’s title hopes as the two clash at Back Lane tomorrow.

Meanwhile Oswaldtwistle Immanuel are at home to mid-table Whalley hoping to move off the bottom of the table.

They lost to Padiham at the weekend. Gerard Metcalf top-scored with 40 as they were 118 all out with Chris Holt finishing on 7-46. Padiham got over the line with only two wickets down.

Great Harwood will be testing their Twenty20 skills on Sunday on the national stage after reaching the semi-finals of the national T20 competition for winning the Ribblesdale League event.

They face Great Ayton at Oulton CC on Sunday, a side from the North Yorkshire and Durham League. Harwood are not allowed to play pro Syed Shahabuddin.

First, however, they tackle fourth-placed Settle tomorrow hoping to put defeat to Whalley behind them last weekend.

Whalley made 202 but Harwood struggled in reply with Stephen Wright top-scoring with 27 and Wilkin Mota taking five wickets for Whalley.