FORMER Australian Test player Peter Sleep continued his outstanding record against Settle when he steered Read to victory by six wickets after the Marshfield side had produced a creditable display with the bat.

After losing openers Paul Stafford and Keith Hornby early on, Mark Verden hit a blistering 76 off 85 balls, including five sixes, to help set a challenging 197-7 target for the home side before he fell to a brilliant catch.

Settle pro Stuart Hornby was back in the side after injury, but clearly not at full fitness, although Ridgway and Tarbox stuck to the task and managed to make Read work hard for their victory.

"We gave a much better performance and against most sides our total would have been enough." said Settle captain Andy Davidson. "However, they have a class act in Peter Sleep who has never failed against us. Infact I can't remember him ever being out!

"Mark Verden also had a gem of an innings, as did Paul Taylor, who is our most consistent performer with the bat. It is that lack of batting consistency that has been our undoing so far, but we are starting to put together higher totals more regularly.

"Read are the best side in the league by far and it does give us an indication of the progress we have made in the last couple of seasons that we can compete with them, but I can't see anyone overhauling them on that form."

It looks like being a long season for Barnoldswick, who were crushed at Clitheroe.

Ian Scothern hung around for most of the innings for 56 runs, which was almost half the side's total of 118 as wickets fell at regular intervals.

There never looked to be a prospect of victory, despite the capture of opener Alan Burns' wicket with the score on 42.

But Neil Bolton, the Clitheroe captain, had a smooth passage to an unbeaten 75 to steer his side to an emphatic nine wicket win.

And to complete a miserable weekend for the Craven teams, Earby succumbed to lowly Whalley at the Applegarth.

The Yorkshire side posted plenty of runs, 208 for seven, with professional Steve Crook top scoring with 51.

Sam Munns chipped in with 39 and Andrew Jaggers hit 37.

However, while Crook had impressed the previous week, he came back to earth with a bump as Whalley found his bowling just up their street. He went for 35 wicketless runs in his 9.5 overs as Whalley completed the run chase with more than five overs to spare.

Tomorrow's fixtures are: Barnoldswick v Oswaldtwistle, Earby v Blackburn N, Settle v Padiham