FIELDING practise is high on the agenda at Oswaldtwistle Immanuel after dropped catches cost them dearly at the weekend.

The bottom club's skipper Gerard Metcalf admitted the fielding was "terrible" and is at a loss as to why it suddenly happened over a crucial weekend.

Immanuel lost the chance to close the gap on the team just above them in the league after a Saturday loss to Earby and then suffered a defeat against Clitheroe who charged to the top of the table. And Immanuel are desperate to get it right on Saturday as they travel to title chasers Settle.

"It is only recently that our fielding has been bad," said the captain."Over the years we have been one of the better fielding sides but it has gone down hill. It is inexplicable as the usually reliable players are just dropping important catches.

"On Saturday against Earby, we dropped several catches and ended up chasing 180 - which was too much as I thought 160, which we got, was a decent total," said the captain who took five wickets in the game.

"On Sunday, against Clitheroe, it was a green wicket and we felt a couple of decisions went against us.

"We were 37-7 - and Oliver Clare had made 33 of them - but then Mark (Roberts) and Andrew (Metcalf) put on 60-odd to take us to 137 and we thought we had turned it around.

"We got Neil Bolton out cheaply but then we dropped Nawaz on six, 30 and then 90.

"It was just terrible fielding - even the sub-pro dropped a catch. There just isn't a reason for why it is happening.

"But I think the sides in the league are close this season and, even though we are bottom, we believe we can beat anyone on our day so, you never now, it may all come together against Settle."

The win for Clitheroe not only hurt Oswaldtwistle but also put a dent in Great Harwood's title hopes as they were toppled from the joint top spot after a mixed weekend.

It had looked good on Saturday when main rivals Settle lost - although to their fellow title challengers Clitheroe - and Harwood celebrated a five wicket win over Edenfield.

Russell Whalley's men were in charge with pro Martin Nurse taking 3-49 and Paul Newton 5-37 to restrict Edenfield to 138-8 - although the Cliffe Park side will be disappointed they didn't take the bonus points.

It then looked bleak for Harwood with the openers out cheaply but Allan Armer (39) and Paul Houldsworth (30 not out) guided them through.

But, by Sunday night, Settle had bounced back, Clitheroe celebrated a double win weekend and Harwood lost by an agonising one wicket to struggling Earby and slipped to third.

It all went wrong as the openers again failed to make a major impact although the middle order of Newton (31), Nurse (25) and Houldsworth (25) helped Harwood to 144 all out.

Despite another four wickets from Nurse and five from Newton, Earby grabbed the vital seven points as Harwood couldn't dispose of their last man.

It means it is vital this weekend that Harwood put on a stunning show to see off new leaders Clitheroe and get themselves back to the top.

BAXENDEN also had mixed results. They were undone by Lancashire League pro Mahendra Nagamootoo, from Colne, on Saturday who was standing in at Read.

Read had made 166-3 and then Nagamootoo took 7-48 as the defending champions won by 44 runs. Francois Herbst top scored for Bash with 41 runs.

But on Sunday, eighth man Peter Usher made a valuable 54 and Gary Sudworth 44 as they set Cherry Tree a target of 162-8. Then pro Indika Gallage took 4-56 and Stuart Molloy 3-50 to claim the points.

Baxenden will be looking to move into the top five when they travel to Padiham on Saturday.