WHILE their West Craven colleagues in the Jennings Ribblesdale Cricket League were enduring a four-match white-wash last weekend, Settle were marching into third place in the Senior Division table with a weekend double.

On each occasion the Settle bowlers did their stuff to set the batsmen up for the kill. On Saturday, visitors Cherry Tree had only opener Riley (31) and professional Naeem Ashraf (50) reaching double figures as they were bowled out for 119, Extras making the next highest contribution with 19.

Settle pro Stuart Hornby produced the first part of a fine all-round display when he captured 5-33 from 22.2 overs, half of which were maidens.

Hornby Junior (48no) then produced the crucial innings to keep his side on course for a six-wicket win.

In Sunday's game at Baxenden, Hornby was an absentee with back trouble, but his last-minute replacement Raheem did a very solid job with the ball.

He returned figures of 4-44 from 22 overs and with Andy Davidson (6-39) joining him to form a deadly combination, Baxenden were bowled out for 115.

Opener Paul Stafford then produced the fireworks as his opening partner Keith Hornby (34no) provided a support role.

Stafford lashed nine fours and three sixes in a breath-taking 71 as the pair reached 102 in 17 overs, Tom Canaway helping Hornby Senior move the score to a nine-wicket win with further alarms.

Barnoldswick and Earby both drew blanks in last weekend's programme, the Victory Park men coming closest to collecting points in a narrow defeat at Whalley on Sunday.

In that match the visitors looked to have done the hard work when they restricted Whalley to 149-7 when they batted first at Station Road. Skipper Whelan (58) held things together, with decent support from Gorton (32), but the Barnoldswick bowlers kept a tight rein on proceedings to set up a reasonable chance of victory.

When the visitors slumped to 20-3, however, the balance of power shifted, but John Pickup (55) produced another good innings and support from Matt Plant (26) and John Hall (39) helped move the total to 133-5.

At that stage, the game swung back to Whalley as two wickets fell at that score, but the score edged forward to 147-7 before the fateful crash arrived, Barnoldswick losing three wickets on that total to finish two runs adrift and pointless.

The previous day at home to Ribblesdale Wanderers, the Victory Park men were well beaten.

They had decent efforts with the bat from Michael Scothern (38) and Matt Plant (46no), but their 158-9 total always offered the visitors a chance.

It was one they looked capable of taking from the off, an opening stand of 66 between Galdwin (44) and Hall (57no) laying the foundation for a seven-wicket victory.

Any hopes Earby had of upsetting the form-book were dashed when they went down to league leaders Read by nine wickets.

The Applegarth side were bowled out for only 115 and Read lost only one wicket on their way to a comprehensive win.

Nor was the batting much improved the following day when Cherry Tree were visitors.

The Blackburn side were always favourites when they posted a 190-5 total, but Earby never really laid a glove on the visitors as they were bowled out for 101.