ANOTHER emphatic victory for Settle sees them sharing top spot with Salesbury in the Senior Division of the Ribblesdale League.

Saturday’s eight-wicket win against Read at Marshfield was a surprisingly one-sided affair, with only three visiting players making double figures and extras proving the second-highest scorer.

Owen West (3-29) and pro Ashen Silva (2-26) kept on the pressure, but it was Will Davidson who caused the batsmen most problems, returning 5-21 from 12.2 overs, his fourth five-wicket haul for the club.

Read managed just 126 all out in 37.2 overs, but struck early to remove both Settle openers in the reply.

However, Silva made 42no in even time, while Tom Davidson upped the pace, crashing his way to an unbeaten 64 from 44 deliveries.

Settle faced a different class of opposition next day when they travelled to Formby in the Lancashire Cup first round.

The hosts are high fliers in the Liverpool District Premier Division and did not hesitate to put Settle in to bat.

Harry Snowden again showed his staying power with 23 runs from 62 balls and Ryan Sumner played a cameo innings of 21 from 13.

The core of the visitors’ innings was a 55-run partnership between Benjamin Hulse (21) and Silva, who narrowly missed his first ton for the club with an unbeaten 97.

Settle made 205 all out from their 45 overs, but Formby only needed 35 overs to ensure the win with the loss of only two wickets.

The highlight of Settle’s attack was provided by Tom Harris, normally a second-team bowler, who dismissed Zimbabwean pro Tatenda Taibu, the youngest test match captain in history.

Taibu has scored half-centuries against South Africa, New Zealand and Pakistan, but it took just two overs from Harris to send him on his way, three short of a century.

In Division One, Settle II let themselves down in the field while taking on Burnley Belvedere first team, despite another sterling effort from John Tarbox who took 5-53 from 13 overs.

His 15th five-wicket haul for Settle could not prevent the Lancastrians reaching 252 all out in 40 overs.

Oliver Whyte (37) and skipper Ben Mitchell (33) then batted well but Settle finally fell for 131 in 29 overs.

Sunday saw the welcome return of Settle III to Division Three competition.

Cherry Tree made 139 all out at Marshfield, with Harris Dinsdale and Jason Paul each taking three wickets.

In reply, James Snowden hit 55, with James Pickard (34) and Dinsdale (15) seeing the hosts through to a two-wicket win.

This Friday Settle start the defence of their 20/20 crown against Earby, and face Brinscall in the league on Saturday, both home fixtures.

Meanwhile the seconds are on the road for the fourth week running, taking on Brinscall, while the third team travel to Earby.

* Earby's first team suffered a 127-run defeat at Salesbury on Saturday.

Earby won the toss and put Salesbury into bat, and the Ribble Valley side, led by Hashen Ramanayake's 90, scored 277-6.

Lee Parkinson took 2-48 and Ashen Bandara took 1-34 in nine overs with three maidens.

In reply, Earby opener Matthew Nutter hit a resilient 52 off 69 balls, but the West Craven side were bowled out for 150 in 36.4 overs.

Barnoldswick lost by nine wickets in a comprehensive defeat to Cherry Tree at Preston Old Road.

Barlick won the toss and batted first, but could only muster 105 all out, with 40 of that total being extras.

Cherry Tree took 23 overs to knock off that total, and finished on 106-1.

Chalana De Silva bowled well without reward, giving up 28 runs in 11 overs with three maidens.