Glorious sunshine and the biggest crowd of the season greeted ‘Derby Day’ last Sunday as Earby hosted Barnoldswick in the Houldsworth Ribblesdale League Senior Division, with the Geoff Tilbury Trophy at stake.

Earby chose to field, with Barnoldswick’s Liam Bedford and Abdul Saddique scampering quick singles and hitting loose deliveries to the boundary.

Jake Hargreaves picked up a slight injury and was replaced by Danny Kegg, the former Barnoldswick man picking up the valuable wicket of Bedford for 19.

The introduction of Saturday’s bowling hero Chris Walton applied the brakes but by halfway the visitors had reached 100 for the loss of one wicket.

At last another went, Saddique getting the thinnest of edges into Matt Garner’s gloves off Walton, and only five more runs had been added when the same pair removed Khalid for 34.

Umar Saddique and captain Luke Hodgson wanted to take the score forward but Ian White had different plans with his flighty off-spin and removed Hodgson and Adil Khan cheaply.

John Pickup’s arrival brought cheers from his fan club and he didn’t let them down, adding 29 off 37 deliveries, and it needed the return of Richard Craddock to remove Umar Saddique (30), Akhtar and Khan in a fiery over.

However, for the second day, Earby just failed to pick up the last wicket. Barnoldswick closing on 195-9, Craddock and Walton taking three wickets each.

Earby openers Walton and professional Fahid Rehman struggled against slow bowler Khalid and paceman Abdul Saddique, Walton taking 19 deliveries to get off the mark and Rehman going lbw in Saddique’s first over.

Rory Robinson managed a boundary before Saddique knocked back his stumps, and Kegg played a couple of lovely shots before being caught behind by Bedford off Khalid to make it 26-3.

It wasn’t looking good for the hosts but Matt Wilson was quickly into his stride, moving to 24, including two massive sixes. Unfortunately for Wilson, Khalid then produced the delivery of the day, bowling him all ends up.

Captain Craddock then batted with care and patience, Iain Clarkson (11), Hargreaves (10) and Lee Parkinson (13) all supporting their skipper, but when Craddock went to make it 147-8, it looked like a win for the visitors.

The final nail in Earby’s coffin was Parkinson’s run out as Earby were out for 153, Khalid finishing with 4-64 off 20 overs and Abdul Saddique 4-38 off nine.

On Saturday at Euxton, Earby put the hosts in, Walton taking 6-23 off 13 overs as they were dismissed for 186.

Then from 86-6, Clarkson and Har-greaves (40) dug in for Earby and added 37 as Earby replied with 160, Ulrich Van Duyker taking 7-32 off 13 overs.

Against Brooksbottom on the same day, Settle professional Tanwir Afzal hit 85 and had key partnerships with Laurence Read (33) and John Davidson (28) in their 185-7. Afzal then took 4-26 and Andrew Davidson 3-12 as Brooks-bottom fell 94 runs short.

On Sunday, Settle had a 41-run victory at Salesbury, Aneeq Hassan hitting 54 and Afzal a rapid 30 in their 182-9.

The hosts were in big trouble at 64-6 and, despite a late rally, were seen off by Afzal’s irresistible 6-42 with Read taking 3-38 in 16 relentless overs.

Settle’s home match against Earby on Saturday marks the last appearance of batting legend Mark Verden.

* Clitheroe have wrapped up the Senior Division title with three games to spare.

The new champions can't be caught after their weekend successes at Baxenden and Ribblesdale Wanderers.

A five wicket win at Back Lane was followed by Sunday's eight-wicket stroll against the Ramsbottom Cup holders.

Josh Marquet returned figures of 7-27 as Wanderers were dismissed for just 83 before Clitheroe reached their target for the loss of only two wickets.

It's been a superb effort by the Chatburn Road side outfit, who have lost only two of their 27 league games to date.

"To finish it off early is a massive bonus," said skipper Paul Gaskell, "But we'd like to go on now and win the final three games as well.

"It was always our aim to win the title because we started to put together a good side last season.

"We knew we had a talented group of players and a tight dressing room.

"So, we have been able to win games we shouldn't have done because of the team spirit and quality of our squad," said Gaskell, a one-club man and vice-captain to Peter Dibb in the Championship- winning team of three years ago.

"With the bowling unit we have, we knew we could defend any total. And we knew how much talent we had among our batsmen."

Barnoldswick, after their recent defeat to Clitheroe, needed a miracle to retain their title. But they kept up the pressure with a 121-run win against Cherry Tree.

Imran Khalid was in magnificent form smashing an unbeaten 112 out of 184-6 and then claiming six visiting wickets as 'Tree' were skittled for only 63. Barlick also collected another win at Earby and remain favourites to finish runners-up.

Third-placed Read, seven-wicket winners against Edenfield and five-wicket victors at Padiham, travel to the champions on Saturday.

Leaders Burnley Belvedere have been crowned Division Two champions courtesy of a five-wicket win over Great Harwood.