THE CRICKET season draws to a close this weekend with none of the Hyndburn sides battling for honours.
At the top of the Lancashire League, Bacup and Burnley were the only sides to play their games last weekend and the Lanehead league leaders now have an eight point gap on the Turf Moor side going into the double header weekend.
They could lift the crown when they face Enfield on Sunday, who will be aiming to be the top Hyndburn side.
A top six finish is still a possibility and David Bracewell's team face East Lancs tomorrow and will be looking for revenge after the Alexandra Meadows side beat them in the Inter League Trophy final recently. Then Enfield will be hoping they can upset Bacup's title hopes at Dill Hall Lane on Sunday.
Rishton are the only local side to win some silverware this season, claiming the 20/20 Trophy, when they beat Burnley in July.
Their pro Lachlan Stevens, who is expected back next season, will be aiming to finish on a high as his mid-table side take on Accrington tomorrow in a local derby and then face Rawtenstall on Sunday.
The weather has ended Nishit Shetty's attempt to rewrite the Accrington record books.
The prolific batsman has 1068 runs this season but the weather looks to have dampened his chance to get 1444, set in 1959.
Accrington travel to Rishton tomorrow and then come up against Ramsbottom in their final game of the 2006 season.
And Church could still get off the bottom spot with two wins this weekend. They travel to Ramsbottom tomorrow (Sat) while they have a home clash with defending champions Lowerhouse, who can still reclaim the title, on Sunday.
Skipper Phil Sykes gets another chance to reach 10,000 league career runs. After a rechecking of his career statistics, the captain needs 40 runs this weekend to attain the magical total.
In the Ribblesdale League, Baxenden's hopes of the runners-up spot were more or less lost at Padiham on Sunday.
All the games were called off because of the weather on Saturday but a few made it through on Sunday - although Mark Rishton's side may have wished they hadn't.
Padiham made 206-5 with Gary Sudworth getting three of the wickets. Wicket keeper Andrew Caunce opened the batting but his 30 was a high point as Bash struggled with the bat and finished 89 runs short. They face Ribblesdale Wanderers tomorrow in their final game of the season.
Great Harwood's clash with Whalley also got the go-ahead and Harwood also suffered.
Whalley's Lee Kearsley amassed 102 not out in 88 balls in their 178-2. Harwood captain Allan Armer made 43 in 40 balls while professional Gyan Pandey added 39 but they fell 34 runs short.
Last season's title challengers look set to remain in seventh place with a final game at home to champions Clitheroe, who beat them in the 20/20 final and the Ramsbottom Cup final.
Oswaldtwistle didn't finish a game this weekend in a season of rebuilding. They will be hoping to finish on a high and add a third win to their statistics when they take on Blackburn Northern at home tomorrow.
