Champions Ramsbottom and 2010 wooden spoonists Bacup continued their winning starts to the season on Saturday.
Ramsbottom had a couple of youngsters, making their first league appearances of 2011, to the fore as they steam-rollered Burnley by a 106-run margin at Turf Moor.
Keith Webb and Jamie Pilling put on 91 for the first wicket but that was just a taster for a splendid second-wicket stand between Pilling and professional Shanan Stewart, which saw 112 added.
Stewart made 88 and Pilling fell agonisingly three short of a maiden century but David Bell gave the innings late impetus with an unbeaten 30 before another 21-year-old took centre stage.
Dale Gabriel, playing only his second senior game, ripped out the Burnley middle order after catching opposing skipper Steve Brunt to claim 6-37 as the home side laboured to 169-8.
Bacup enjoyed a second success in a strange encounter at Lanehead.
Rishton chose to bat but lost both openers with just three on the board as Joe Sipocz and Joe McCluskie got to work.
Rishton pro Cameron Delport hit 96 in less than an hour, but after a third-wicket stand took the score to 100, wickets began to fall regularly as they were all out for 214.
Bacup’s reply was rather less frenetic but more focused with Jack McGregor, back at his first club, opening the innings and taking his side to within sight of victory in good stands with Anthony Taylor, Smuts and Henry Butcher.
Smuts made 47 and McGregor fell four short of a ton but Bacup got home with six wickets to spare.
Haslingden were bowled out for 138 by Lowerhouse but a late bowling fightback earned them four bonus points as the match finished much closer than looked likely.
Gary Sudworth induced panic in the Lowerhouse ranks as, along with Eddie Shah, he reduced the visitors from 122-3 to 128-8, claiming 6-53.
The Burnley side needed 11 off Shah’s last over but Matthew Walker got them home with two balls left with the help of a six and a missed catch.
Another tight finish saw Rawtenstall lose by four runs to East Lancs at Alexandra Meadows.
Chasing the hosts’ 185, Andy Payne (39) and Lou Vincent (64) looked to be putting Vinnie Hanson’s side in command with a 73 stand which took the visitors to 101-1.
With that pair gone, it looked odds-on an away win with Jon Kerrigan (21) nudging his side towards victory but four wickets for one run saw them collapse from 180-6 to 181 all out .
