Farnworth Social Circle snatched victory from the jaws of defeat against Eagley on Saturday - and Omer Shinwari bowled a dream final over to help bottom side Walkden tie with Feniscowles during a dramatic day of Anthony Axford North West Cricket League Premiership cricket.

Leaders Little Lever lost their first league match of 2023 in a rain-affected clash at home to lowly Baxenden on a wet weekend where only Settle and Oswaldtwistle Immanuel did not start.

Social Circle jumped up to third place with their 10th win from 18 matches, victorious by four runs at Eagley and after they had been bowled out for 101.

Eagley’s Pakistani professional Ayaz Tasawar claimed 6-23 from seven overs of leg-spin.

Chasing a revised 93 target, Eagley then slumped to 88 all out. Left-arm spinner Chris Barrow returned a new-ball 5-36.

The table currently shows all teams having played 18 matches, but one of those - a completely rained off round - will be replayed this coming Sunday. That means three points can effectively be taken off all teams.

But, as things stand, Social Circle sit on 136 after claiming a maximum 12-point haul, three behind rivals Farnworth and 30 behind Little Lever (166).

Before we get to Farnworth, also winners on Saturday, a remarkable finish at the bottom saw Feniscowles and Walkden both tied on 183.

Visitors Walkden, still searching for their first win, were bowled out having been inserted.

Pakistani pro Naveed Malik claimed 5-63 after taking the new ball, and Walkden recovered from 80-5, thanks to 33 apiece for Asif Hussain and unbeaten Nabil Asgher.

Feniscowles were always ahead chasing - 53-0, 107-2 and, heading into the final over, 181-7.

But superb Shinwari - 4-54 - conceded only two runs off the last over and took two wickets off the contest’s final two balls as Feniscowles finished on 183-9 - Khalid Hussain and James Jackson both bowled.

Second-placed hosts Farnworth beat Astley Bridge by 42 runs in a 28-over contest.

Zafir Patel top-scored with 50 in Farnworth’s 150-8 before Indian overseas new-ball seamer, Yatin Mangwani, claimed 5-36 in Bridge’s 108-8 to seal win number 11.

Whalley claimed their fifth win towards the bottom - by four wickets chasing 107 at Blackrod. The visitors were indebted to Australian overseas amateur Noah Panaia’s measured unbeaten 55 as he steered a recovery from 26-6, sharing an unbroken 81 with Richard Palmer (24 not out).

Earlier, Palmer claimed three wickets in Blackrod’s 106-9 from 43 overs.

Whalley are 17th and Cherry Tree 16th. The latter beat Brinscall by nine wickets chasing 63. Ross Bretherton ran through Brinscall with a fabulous 7-31 from 10 overs.

Tonge (120-7 in 27 overs) jumped to 10th with their eighth win, by 14 runs at Earby (110-5). Tonge opener Jack Hancock top-scored with 39 before Hasib Patel’s three wickets.

Kearsley are eighth. Their ninth win came by two wickets at home to Atherton (126-8) chasing 127 in a 34-over game. Opener Joe Capstick hit 34, but the hosts slipped from 75-1 to a nervy 122-8.

Salesbury, Padiham and Lostock - fourth, fifth and sixth - all won comfortably against Read, Barnoldswick and Ribblesdale Wanderers.

Salesbury were bowled out for 163 at Read thanks to Matthew Heap’s stunning 8-75 from 12.5 overs.

Heap did not deserve to finish on the losing side, but he did as Read were bowled out for 80. Callum Boardman and Ollie Wetton equally shared six wickets.

Like Salesbury, Padiham claimed win number 10 - by seven wickets - chasing 113 at home to Barnoldswick (112 all out). Pro Jack Edgar claimed three wickets and hit 44 for Padiham.

Lostock beat Ribblesdale Wanderers by 134 runs at home. Daniel Vincent’s middle-order unbeaten 53 led Lostock to 188-4 in 42 overs. Ribblesdale’s target was revised to 192 in 42, but they crumbed to 54 all out. Reece Gray claimed 5-12 from only 4.2 overs.