RIBBLESDALE Cricket League officials are keeping their fingers tightly crossed that the deadly tentacles of the foot and mouth outbreak do not extend any further into their patch.

So far, only one of their clubs, Settle, has been closed by the crisis, but as disease starts to expand southwards into the Ribble Valley, there are obvious fears that other clubs may yet become victims.

"We are looking at Settle's situation on a weekly basis," said league secretary, Rod Slater.

"They are not playing any games at either first or second team level at this stage and we are hoping that the problem does not spread any further.

"The Ribblesdale League will do nothing which could help to spread the outbreak and we're keeping our fingers crossed that we will have only one set of fixtures to re-arrange.

"At this stage we are treating Settle's unplayed games as postponements and hope to fit them into the programme later in the season."

Last weekend's Senior Divison programme saw 'old boy' Jonathan Harvey making a dramatic return to Earby.

Harvey has produced some outstanding displays at the Applegarth in recent seasons, but not many of them have surpassed the all-round performance he served up when making his first visit to his old stamping ground on Saturday with his new club Baxenden.

Harvey moved from Earby during the close season having failed to agree terms. There was no serious rancour in the parting, but Saturday's match-winning display doubtless had an extra edge of satisfaction.

In carrying his bat for a splendid 147, Harvey helped the visitors to their 216-4 total. So dominant was he that none of the other batsmen in the Baxenden line-up was called upon to make a major contribution.Earby were 145-8 in reply.

Barnoldswick have been struggling for runs so far this season and that situation didn't change a great deal when they entertained Edenfield on Saturday. The key difference for the Victory Park men was the work of their bowlers, who all turned in a top-class effort to convert a 126-9 total into a winning score.