SETTLE came back with a vengeance after last week’s surprise defeat against Barnoldswick.

This time the other Craven side in the Ribblesdale Cricket League Senior Division were comprehensively worked over by Eddy Read and Harry Snowden.

Earby were put in to bat in damp conditions and their innings was over in a flash.

Snowden took 5-7 and Read 5-18, reducing the visitors to a miserable 31 all out in 17 overs, with no batsman reaching double figures.

They had no answer to Read’s second five-wicket haul of the season and Snowden’s fourth.

With an eye on the threatening weather, skipper Will Davidson then cracked 24 from 17 balls, while Archie Phillipson sensibly kept his head down at the other end, as Settle won the game by 10 wickets in just six overs.

With the match over by 3:30pm, chairman Andrew Davidson had a quiet grumble about the hit to the bar takings, but he was of course delighted with the Read and Snowden double act.

“Settle are on a roll at the moment,” he said.

“All three adult teams are pushing for titles, we have four junior sides, girls’ and women’s teams, walking cricket as well as various friendly elevens.

“There is cricket for all ages from under-nines to 79s.”

Davidson was also enthusiastic about August’s Festival of Cricket at Marshfield.

He said: “On August 10, we host the Ribblesdale League XI versus MCC, followed by the Ramsbottom Cup final on August 14 when we take on Read.”

He added: “Thanks to our kind sponsors and tireless volunteers, we entertain the England Legends XI on August 19 and finally, we welcome a Barbados XI 10 days later.”

In Division One, the Settle 2nd XI had a closer match against Earby at Applegarth after being put in to bat.

Captain Daniel Strickland opened with 38, sharing a 92-run partnership with Andrew Fry (53), who clocked up his fourth half-ton of the season.

Richard Bradley (31) and Nick Tyrer (19) bolstered the middle order while Harris Dinsdale hit an unbeaten 20 from 10 balls at the end.

With a target of 160, Earby skipper Martyn Windle made a solid 40, but three wickets apiece from Strickland and John Tarbos, and two each for Dinsdale and Gus Ogden ensured a win by 36 runs.

The first team’s demanding schedule continues as they return from their Scottish Borders tour to a double header this weekend against Brinscall and Oswaldtwistle, while the seconds travel to Chatburn.