HAVING overcome Craven rivals Settle last week, Barnoldswick face another crunch game this Saturday at leaders Great Harwood.

Barlick's 94-run win at Victory Park put them in second spot and another seven-point haul would see them go joint top.

"It will be another good test," said skipper John Pickup.

"Their pro (West Indian Martin Nurse) is doing well and they have good amateurs in Paul Houldsworth, captain Russell Whalley and Stuart Maher. They will be a hard team to beat."

Put in to bat by Settle last Saturday, the hosts were happy with their total of 165, which saw Jeevantha Kulatunga come good with the bat. The Sri Lankan all-rounder top-scored with 58, but was crucially dropped on nought by Settle sub-professional Tushar Arothe at slip. Paul Beech was the other major contributor with 36.

Settle's reply was interrupted by rain which saw them chasing a reduced total of 124. But they failed to get near it as Mike Scothern took 6-33 and Raja Arshad 3-7 which saw the visitors slump to 71 all out.

Scothern has taken 19 wickets in five games since returning from injury. Skipper John Pickup said: "He was brilliant from start to finish. He bowls straight, gives batters nothing to hit and lets them make the mistakes."

Arshad's form with bat and ball has seen him selected for the Ribblesdale League side against the Bolton Association League this Sunday.

Pickup admitted that the rain break, which saw Settle having to chase the game, had suited his side. But his counterpart, Andrew Davidson, said his men had been "out-bowled and out-batted".

Regarding Arothe, brought in as a replacement for Indian professional Robin Morris who left the club last week due to a long-term shoulder injury, Davidson said the club had yet to decide whether to make his appointment permanent. Arothe made just one with the bat and took 2-27 with the ball. He will play again this Saturday when Settle entertain high-flying Cherry Tree.

Despite Settle's up-and-down start to this season - they have already lost more league games than they did throughout last year's campaign - Davidson refused to rule his side out of the title race.

He said: "Everbody is beating each other. All it needs is a run of wins and no one has done that. When bottom can beat top that tells you the story. I think it will be a low points score that wins the league."