SETTLE's first team strode their way to the quarter-finals of the Ramsbottom Cup by comfortably seeing off Padiham, the team that beat them in last season’s final.

The Marshfield side were invited to bat on a damp wicket where slow progress during the first 20 overs made victory seem unlikely.

Opener Harry Snowden’s nine runs from 53 balls did not appear to be the stuff of 40-over cup matches, but his dogged resistance blunted the visiting bowlers’ attack and kept enough wickets intact for an assault by the middle order.

The first wicket fell at 16 when the Barbadian Danyl Husbands (12) played half forward to a ball that nipped back in conditions very different from his century a fortnight earlier.

Skipper John Davidson (19) batted calmly in a 56-run partnership with Ashen Silva. The Sri Lankan pro paced himself brilliantly, his early sedate progress accelerating to reach Settle’s top score of 88 from 104 balls.

Sedate is not a word in Eddy Read’s vocabulary, as the returning all-rounder smashed four mighty sixes in his 56 runs from 36 balls, completely transforming the innings with the hosts closing on 194-5.

Despite not getting a bowl for the second team in his last match, John Tarbox found himself opening for the firsts and set the tone by claiming the first wicket and returning solid figures of 1-31 from eight overs.

Simon Tarbox was soon in action at the other end and with a yard or two more pace outdid his father with 2-25 from seven overs.

Spinners Husbands (2-22) and Silva (2-32) rounded off an excellent collective bowling performance which never allowed Padiham to exceed four runs an over. Settle held their catches, with two apiece for Davidson and Benjamin Hulse, as the visitors ended their day on 156-7.

Lawrenson Cup holders Settle seconds made short work of Stacksteads first team, posting 168-8 with contributions down the order from Shaun Airey (30), James Snowden (27no), Adam Strickland (20) and David Hulse (18). The hosts were skittled out for 85 as Tom Harris took 4-14 and Joseph Pickles 3-15.

This Saturday, Settle firsts welcome Ribblesdale Wanderers in a Senior League fixture, while the seconds continue their cup campaign on Sunday at Feniscowles, where a win should see them out of the group stage.

* Some solid batting from the middle order and a good bowling performance helped Earby advance to the quarter-finals of the Ramsbottom Cup with a 31-run victory at home to Salesbury.

After their top four were out for just six runs, Girvacques De Jager and Martin Windle came in at five and six to score 31 and 29, respectively. Batting at number nine, Jake Hargreaves hit 31no to guide Earby to 137 all out.

Salesbury could only manage 106 all out, as Earby's bowlers turned the screw. Windle took 4-24 and Ashen Bandara (2-13) and Lee Parkinson (2-12) took two wickets apiece.

Barnoldswick crashed out of the Ramsbottom Cup with a five-wicket defeat at Whalley.

Barlick won the toss and elected to bat, but runs proved hard to come by as the West Craven side could only manage 91 all out, with Adil Khan top-scoring with 19.

Whalley opener Sam Jackson's patient 45no off 116 balls led his side past Barnoldswick's target, as they scored 93-5. Jack Rietschel was the pick of the Barlick bowlers, taking 2-6 in eight overs.