SETTLE'S weekend got off to a disappointing start when they lost their T20 clash at Read.

The visitors struggled to make headway until the Snowden brothers put on 71 for the fifth wicket, James making 45 and Harry 37 not out. Benjamin Hulse (16no) took the total to 139-5. Spinner Joe Pickles (2-39) struck early in reply, but the bowlers were generally given a hard time as the hosts reached 143-3 with three overs to spare. Settle need a win against Barnoldswick this Friday to have a chance of making the knockout stage.

However, their league performance is still unblemished. In the Senior Division on Saturday, Settle reduced Feniscowles to 68 all out inside 26 overs.

Pro Ashen Silva (3-11) and Eddy Read (2-28) had a good day, but Harry Snowden (5-29) stole the show with his first five-wicket haul of the season. His current strike rate is a wicket every 17 deliveries and he has taken a quarter of his team’s wickets in 2022, a remarkable record.

Yorkshire under-15 star Archie Phillipson then scored 21 and Tom Davidson 14no as the visitors reached 71-3 to sail past the hosts within 14 overs.

Feniscowles will not be looking forward to the return fixture at Settle on Saturday. The 1st XI then travel to second-placed Padiham on Sunday in what will be the Lancastrians’ last chance to dent Settle’s 20-point lead.

The Division One match at Marshfield saw Settle 2nd XI struggle to take early wickets despite solid bowling by the openers.

It was left to left-arm spinner Gus Ogden (4-20) to produce his career-best return, going at just 1.7 an over. Will Tyrer (3-40) kept up his good form, while Paul Dockerty ran in at the end to take 2-9 and claim two bowling points.

The 130 target proved straightforward for Settle, thanks to an opening stand of 67 by Paul Clarke (21) and skipper Dan Strickland (59).

Strickland almost carried his bat with his half-century, last man out with just three runs needed, but he treated the crowd to some classy off-side drives, including seven fours, to equal his career-best score.

In the meantime, Andrew Fry struck 25 at a run a ball to see the hosts home with 19 overs unused. The seconds travel to Stacksteads on Saturday.

Settle’s Development XI had a comfortable win in Division Three. Jason Paul took 3-12 and Richard Bradley 2-5 as Baxenden were dismissed for 86. Elliot Marklew (41) and Ryan Hewitt (33) were then both unbeaten in the nine-wicket victory for the XI who will entertain Barnoldswick this Sunday.

Another solid weekend came after last week's clean sweep for Settle’s Ribblesdale League teams including a Ramsbottom Cup quarter-final victory.

It meant that the first team had won all ten Senior Division matches this season and it sent them eighteen points clear with a game in hand.

In other news, another Settle Junior has gained County Honours.

James Galley was recently selected for Yorkshire U12’s and last week he played against Cheshire and Lancashire.

Galley is a talented right hand bat and spin bowler and it is expected that he has a bright future ahead of him.