DEFENDING champions Clitheroe booked their place in the last eight of the Lancashire League T20 after a victory over Accrington.

The holders won by seven wickets to set up a quarter final trip to Walsden.

Elsewhere in the knockout stages Darwen will host Bacup while Enfield visit Ramsbottom and Burnley entertain Crompton.

The ties take place on Friday night.

Clitheroe professional Fawad Alam hit 63 from 42 balls and Thomas Lord added 50 to help the visitors chase down Accrington's 144-5. Jacob Clarke made 73 for the hosts.

That was enough to see Clitheroe qualify as runners-up behind Burnley who topped the JWL Founders Group after beating Rishton by 23 runs.

Joey Marshall made 44 in Burnley's 155-8 while Rishton's Matt Lambert took 3-23. Mansoor Amjad then hit 52 for Rishton but Chris Holt's 4-19 helped Burnley to victory.

The group's other game saw East Lancs beat Colne by three runs.

John Turner made 74 for the home side while Colne professional James Price took 3-10 and Kenton Rhodes hit 53 with the bat in the losing chase.

Enfield qualified on run rate ahead of Lowerhouse in the JWL Bitter Group thanks in the main to Adam Bracewell's second straight unbeaten century. He hit 105 from 61 balls in a total of 178-1 while Joe Wrigley was 56 not out.

Great Harwood pro Ashen Silva made 60 in reply but Fergus Bailey took 3-21 and Faheem Basharat 3-28 as the visitors were dismissed for 133.

Lowerhouse overcame Church but suffered the double blow of bowing out of the competition and losing professional Ockert Erasmus to an achilles injury which could well keep him out for the rest of the season.

Erasmus hit 47 in House's 152-3 before he picked up the injury while bowling. Church collapsed from 41-0 to 95-8 and ended 24 runs short.

Darwen ended their group stage with a comfortable six wicket win over Nelson.

Bacup's three wicket win at Rawtenstall was enough to send them through as runners-up in the MP Group on run rate ahead of Middleton.

Simon Newbitt top scored with 32 to help his side chase down 127-6.

Ramsbottom topped the group despite losing to Middleton by seven wickets.

The visitors made 155-7 but Middleton's opening pair Chris Williams (88 not out) and George Walker (53) put on 148 for the first wicket and the home side got home with two balls to spare.

The group's other game saw Norden beat Haslingden by three wickets with Muneeb Ahmed making 52 from 36 for Haslingden.

Walsden won the Manchester Craft group after an eight wicket win over Rochdale while Crompton beat Todmorden by five wickets to qualify.

Littleborough ended their campaign with an eight wicket win over Milnrow.