Barnoldswick maintained their hold on second place in the Senior Division with a nine-run win over Whalley at Victory Park.

After a reasonable start from openers Matt Nutter (22) and Abdul Saddique (11), there followed a century stand from professional Imran Khalid (65) and Umar Saddique (42).

Umar is still playing nowhere near his best, but still managed to hang on for a decent score.

The scoring rate then dropped appreciably with Paul Beech and Liam Bedford going cheaply.

However, carrying on from where he left off the previous week, captain Luke Hodgson hit a quick-fire 39 not out. and the innings closed at 209-7.

Luke was resplendent with new kit and bat, as the resident Victory Park arsonist had seen fit to reduce his old kit to ashes, perhaps with a nod to the current Test Match series.

Only three Whalley bowlers were used throughout with slow left armer Simon Gorton (3-66) the pick of the bunch, accompanied by the somewhat unlucky David Howard (2-/92) and professional Bandekar (1-43) Chasing the target of 210, the Whalley openers, Richard Palmer (57) and David Howard (31) made an excellent start, though they may have been buoyed by Khalid not opening the bowling due to an injured shoulder.

Professional Bandeker (50) followed up their good work, but Whalley were always just below the required scoring rate.

Lee Kearsley (34no) and Stephen Kerr (18) added useful runs, but couldn’t quite reach the target and the Whalley innings finished at 200-5.

Saj Ahktar took 3-/68 and Khalid, who came on belatedly as second change, took the other two wickets.

Settle’s fortunes continue to rise. They scored their fifth consecutive win as they defeated Ramsbottom Cup winners Ribblesdale Wanderers by 42 runs.

One of the key figures in their revival has been all-rounder Tom Davidson.

He has made a huge impact since his return from ankle surgery and he was in top form again on Saturday.

Davidson (70) and Aneeq Hassan (41) put on 90 for the second wicket.

Davidson smacked seven fours and four sixes and is averaging over 50 in his six innings since returning to the side.

His brothers Robbie (31) and Will (12) kept up the pace in the middle order after pro Tanwir Afzal was controversially given out caught behind for seven.

Tom Strickland (12) held the tail together as Settle closed on 199 all out with three balls remaining.

Afzal made Wanderers pay for his dismissal by taking four wickets for 55 runs in 21 economical overs, while evergreen Andrew Davidson (5-55) trumped this by notching up his second consecutive five-wicket haul.

The wily spinner won his usual game of patience as the visitors folded to lose by 42 runs.

Settle should be confident of maintaining their winning form on Saturday as they travel to Cherry Tree who lie ten places below them with only four wins to their name this season.

Earby’s bowlers were unable to make an impression as they suffered a seven-wicket defeat against third-placed Read.

Earby made what looked to be a respectable 224 all out with Matt Wilson (76) and pro Fahid Rehman (61) leading the way, but Read found the target to be comfortably within their reach as they knocked off the runs with seven wickets in hand and 11 ov