SETTLE ran visiting Clitheroe close in a low-scoring match which confirmed the Lancastrians as Senior Division champions for a fourth consecutive year, and left Settle hoping to retain their current runners-up slot.

Playing without their pro Imran Khalid, back in Pakistan on 20/20 duty, the hosts elected to bat but soon had half the side out with only 53 runs on the board.

Opener Asif Fazal (22) was on form, however, and Tabassum Aziz hit 15 in the middle order.

As wickets continued to tumble, only Hassan Fazal held the batting together lower down with an unbeaten knock of 19.

A total of 99 all out should not have been a great challenge for next season’s Lancashire League acquisition, but Settle had other ideas.

Thanks to Hassan Fazal (4-37) and Tom Davidson (2-33), Clitheroe were reeling at 18-5, but Sam Mulligan, Peter Dibb and Jack Dewhurst all compiled scores in the twenties to put the visitors within reach.

Then in a dramatic finale, Will Davidson came on to pick up two quick wickets but Clitheroe scraped home on 100-8 after 41 painstaking overs.

Senior League Section B leaders Barnoldswick came unstuck in their rain-affected match with Salesbury.

Opener Neil Hornbuckle put them to the sword with a magnificent innings of 179 not out as Salesbury made 266-6 in their 45 overs.

The intervention of the weather meant Barnoldswick were set a revised target of 163 from 22 overs.

Opener Umar Saddique tried to set the right tempo for the innings but wickets kept falling and Barnoldswick were dismissed for 136 as Andrew Mercer picked up 6-65.

Earby also suffered defeat when chasing a weather adjusted target. After dismissing Brinscall for 171, Jason Lobley taking 3-27 and Anton Muller (3-36), they were asked to make 134 in 32 overs.

It was always going to be a tough task after losing both openers cheaply. Jake Hargreaves 933) and Muller (32) tried to revive their side but Lee Burgess (5-52) and Sam McLachlan (4-51) dismissed them for 106.

Although the derby match between Earby and Settle second teams was abandoned in the second innings, both Craven sides celebrated promotion to Division One next season.

At Applegarth, Earby were put in to bat and were hustled out for 66 runs in 34 overs despite the efforts of Martin Windle (29) and Josh Yates (14). John Tarbox and Joseph Handy took two wickets each, but it was Josh Mullinder who took the honours yet again.

The left-arm spinner had the remarkable figures of six wickets for eight runs from 11 overs, hitting a total of 44 wickets for the season at an average of 7.57, by far the best performer in Division Two.

The reply saw Earby fight back well with a quick wicket each for Windle and Yates, but Tarbox and David Hulse were unable to develop their partnership once the ground was deemed unfit on 13-2. The match could have decided the title, but Settle will still chase Earby’s 16-point lead with two games remaining.