Baxenden are back on top of the Houldsworth Ribblesdale League table with six matches of the season to play.

In a huge game at Black Lane which Bash needed to win to maintain their title push they saw off rivals Read to move six points clear at the top.

And Barnoldswick’s shock home defeat against lowly Edenfield ensured that the fate of the 2009 champions is now in their own hands.

Read, suffering a hangover from their Ramsbottom Cup defeat by Ribblesdale Wanderers, restricted Baxenden to 220-8 in 45 overs.

Callum Waddington was the Bash top scorer with 42 and there were solid knocks from professional Baber Naeem (39) and Mark Rishton (36).

Kyle O’Connor made 45 in Read’s reply but Naeem (4-72) and Lewis McIntosh (3-57) restricted the visitors to 173-8 to give Baxenden a 47 run success.

Andy Caunce’s side then had an anxious wait for details to filter back of Barnoldswick's game at Victory Park.

It was good news when it finally arrived. In a contest reduced to 26 overs, Edenfield did well to reach 153-9 with Paul Gallagher providing the foundation with 53.

In reply, Barnoldswick could only manage 116-9 and were later docked one of their two points for a slow over rate.

Baxenden will be hoping to extend their lead when they take on second bottom Salesbury tomorrow at home.

Read, who next face a re-run of their Ramsbottom Cup final against Wanderers, are three clear of Barnoldswick.

Fourth placed Whalley were 81 run winners against Oswaldtwistle Immanuel.

After a solid start by the Whalley openers, Gerard Metcalf and Imran Abid took three wickets each to limit Whalley to 175.

But Immanuel couldn’t get going with the bat with top scorer Gerard Metcalf with 27.

it keeps them third from bottom and they have a home tie with Earby this weekend.

Padiham defeated champions Clitheroe by 25 runs in a game that produced 465 runs while Ribblesdale followed up their cup win with a five wicket win at home to Earby.

Great Harwood’s clash with Settle – after their Twenty20 late loss the night before – was off due to the weather.