As all the senior matches in the Ribblesdale Cricket League ended in a draw due to rain Settle's prolific batsman pro Surendra Bhave hit another century - carrying his bat for 101 not out - as his side totalled 195-5 away to Ribblesdale Wanderers who had reached 80-3 in reply when play finished.

At Victory Park Barnoldswick scored 58-2 after Great Harwood had hit 166-7 and at the Applegarth Earby reached 111-2, with Steve Rushton scoring 56, in reply to Edenfield's 149-6, pro J Ashley getting 70.

Settle travelled to Ribblesdale Wanderers to take on a side rejuvenated by the signing of the highly rated pro Shahid Nawaz and with their own pro in such fine form an exciting game was promised although the threat of rain was always imminent.

And with this in mind the home team predictably asked Settle to bat in a game reduced to 41 overs per side.

Settle's openers made a promising start although runs were not easy to come by, Nawaz in particular being difficult to get away.

However their patience was rewarded when Bhave hit Nawaz for fours in successive balls and the pressure was relieved.

Dave Morrell was out in the 19th over for a useful 20 leaving Settle on 66-1.

Mark Verden then joined Bhave and soon made his intentions clear, scoring 29 off the first 16 balls he received, and the pair moved the score rapidly to 165 before Verden was out for a splendid 56 off 47 balls in the 36th over.

Bhave continued to bat superbly, encountering few difficulties from the bowlers.

Settle's later batsmen tried to lift the scoring rate and at the close of the innings Bhave was unbeaten for the fifth time in nine innings.

For Ribblesdale David Howard picked up late wickets to finish with 4-60 from 18 overs, one maiden, and the other figures were A Ainsworth 3-0-30-1, Nawaz 13-4-59-0, G Monk 5-0-33-0 and T Braithwaite 2-0-8-0.

With rain being the likely winner Ribblesdale were looking to score quickly and in Nawaz had the ideal player.

Morrell quickly removed Howard, who was well caught by Adam Gowland, but the home side continued to score at around four runs per over and an exciting finish was in prospect.

Morrell then removed Nawaz with a superb ball leaving Ribblesdale on 23-2. Runs continued to come freely although Morrell took his third wicket, bowling the free-scoring Martin Briggs for 20. M Davies then joined D Spencer and these two lifted the scoring rate, taking their side to 80-3 from 19 overs when torrential rain caused the abandonment of the game which was a disappointing finish to a match both sides would have thought they could win.

Morrell finished with 3-37 from 10 overs, one maiden, and Colin Johnson had figures of 9-0-40-0.

Settle: S Bhave not out 101; D Morrell lbw Ainsworth 20; M Verden c Wrigley b Howard 56; T Green c Ainsworth b Howard 4; A Fergie b Howard 9; D Worthington c Duckworth b Howard 0; M Towler not out 0; extras 5; total (for 5) 195.

Ribblesdale Wanderers: Nawaz b Morrell 15; D Howard c Gowland b Morrell 1; M Briggs b Morrell 20; D Spencer not out 19; M Davies not out 21; extras 4; total (for 3) 80.

In their match which was 29 overs a side Earby won the toss and fielded and Edenfield put on 15 for their first wicket, 52 for their second and 59 for their third. The fourth and fifth fell on 127 and the sixth on 147.

For Earby Peter Baistow had 2-18 off four overs, no maidens, Stephen Hipgrave 2-48 off seven, no maidens, and Andrew Rushton 1-32 off seven, one maiden. Pro Jonathon Harvey had figures of 10-2-31-0 and Andrew Jaggers had 1-0-17-0.

The two Earby wickets to fall were both lost on 85 and the match was abandoned at 7.45pm after the Applegarth side had played 19 overs.

The Edenfield bowling figures were J Kershaw 3-0-25-1, B Storey 7-3-39-0, Ashley 7-1-32-0 and P Holt 2-0-11-0.

Edenfield: J Kershaw lbw Hipgrave 22; G Smithson c Harvey b A Rushton 6; J Ashley c Walton b Baistow 70; A Wright c Munns b Hipgrave 23; M Hawke c Munns b Baistow 7; B Storey run out 0; P Holt not out 14; M Burns not out 1; extras 6; total (for 6) 149.

Earby: S Pickles c Hawke b Kershaw 24; S Rushton b Holt 56; J Harvey not out 13; C Walton not out 12; extras 6; total (for 2) 111.

Barnoldswick won the toss against Great Harwood and put them into bat and their total came off 28 overs, pro Dagnall top scoring for them with 37 off 33 balls, including a six and four fours.

The first wicket fell on 28 and the second on 69. The third went down on 84, the fourth on 120, the fifth on 162, the sixth on 164 and the seventh on 166.

For Barnoldswick pro Paul Beech took 3-52 off 11 overs, two maidens, and Mike Scothern 2-43 off nine, one maiden. The other figures were Iftikar Ahmed 3-0-24-0 and David Scothern 5-0-37-0.

Beech hit 31 not out off 37 balls including four fours as Barnoldswick batted for 16.1 overs, the first wicket falling on five and the second on 57. The Great Harwood bowling figures were P Newton 5-1-14-1, Dagnall 8.1-1-32-1 and G Simpson 3-0-8-0.

Great Harwood: D Cheesbrough c I Scothern b Beech 11; I Howarth b Beech 27; Dagnall b Beech 37; A Armer c Harker b M Scothern 20; P Holdsworth run out 36; J Whittle run out 20; M Howarth b M Scothern 2; P Clifford not out 1; extras 12; total (for 7) 166.

Barnoldswick: I Scothern st Armer b Newton 20; I Ahmed lbw Dagnall 3; P Beech not out 31; B Charnley not out 0; extras 4; total (for 2) 58.

Other results are: Division One - Earby 198-4, P Taylor 100 not out, Edenfield 10-0, match drawn.

Division Two - Barnoldswick 117-6 Burnley Belvedere 40-2, match drawn; Rolls-Royce 2nds 67, M Scaife 5-12, Settle 69-1; Oswaldtwistle Immanuel 104-9 Rolls-Royce 105-1, M Whalley 81 not out.

Division Three - Barnoldswick 143 Oswaldtwistle Immanuel 94, C Hodgson 5-41; Earby 93, C Hopwood 6-34, Cherry Tree 94-3, A Grogan 59; Settle 110-8 Great Harwood 109, A Gowland 7-45.

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