SETTLE moved two points clear at the top of the Ribblesdale Cricket League table at the halfway point of the shortened season.

It was lined up to the be the league’s first double-header weekend on Saturday and Sunday, but wet weather meant it was a vastly reduced programme.

On Sunday, Settle proved too good for Whalley as they kept up their unbeaten start.

The North Yorkshire side lost Robbie Davison to the fourth ball for a duck and it was left to Tom and John Davidson to build the innings.

This pair put on 79 for the second wicket and Tom Davidson went on to make 50.

Will Davidson provided the acceleration with a quick-fire 49, helped by a couple of dropped catches.

Settle finished on 170-7 with Jack Edgar taking some late wickets to end with 5-48.

Whalley’s reply could not have got off to a worse start when Edgar was caught off Eddy Read off the first ball of the innings.

Whalley were never up with the rate and it became a question of if Settle could bowl them out to take the two bonus points.

Frankie Jackson made 35 but Whalley were all out in the penultimate over for 99, John Davidson taking three wickets with his occasional spin.

Ribblesdale Wanderers are two points back in second and they are also yet to taste defeat after getting the better of Salesbury.

Wanderers, asked to bat first, made an excellent score of 186-5, with half centuries from Eddie Steinson (53) and Andrew Needham (54). Salesbury made a good effort in reaching the total ending on 153-9.

Ian Britcliffe took three wickets with two each for Ryan Canning, George Kerr and Safyan Ahmed.

Padiham are third and were involved in the only action on Saturday against fifth-placed Read.

Padiham got off to a good start with Owen Deakin-Pickard making 21 before being run out.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Callum Clarke made 29 but Padiham struggled against the tight bowling and good fielding and were unable to accelerate and ended on 105-8 in a game reduced to 20 overs per side, Andrew Bennett taking three wickets.

In reply Read lost an early wicket to Toby Burrows, but a half century from Warren Eastham enabled Read to win by seven wickets with four overs to spare.

Read looked to build on that against Feniscowles 24 hours later, Will Wrathall with 35 off 31 balls helping them post a total of 120-6 in a match reduced to 30 overs per side.

Feniscowles looked in trouble at 51-4 however an unbeaten fifth-wicket partnership of 70 between Ziyad Bhada 50 not out and Mohammed Bhada 21 not out got them over the line with just two balls to spare and with six wickets in hand.

Warren East took 2-9 off his six economical overs.

Padiham for their part bounced back on Sunday, posting the highest score of the day against Brinscall.

They posted 212-9, with Clarke making 64 and Deakin-Pickard 56 as both enjoyed a strong weekend with the bat.

In reply Brinscall put a great effort before being bowled out for 184 off the penultimate ball of their innings, Bailey Muldoon taking four wickets.

Barnoldswick are on the same number of points as Padiham in fourth and they posted a competitive score of 146-6 batting first against Cherry Tree.

Majid Inayat made 65 and Jonny Beech 56 while there were two wickets each for James Cuff and Jack Woolridge.

In reply, Cherry Tree were all out for 112 with Louis Strand top scoring with 44, in a 34-run win for Barnoldswick.

Elsewhere, Earby had reached 67-1 against Oswaldtwistle Immanuel in a meeting between two sides at the wrong end of the table when the match was abandoned.

Adam Hodge finished on 31 not out.

This weekend’s fixtures on Saturday, August 29, include third hosting second when Ribblesdale Wanderers go to Padiham.

Leaders Settle are at Read while Whalley host Earby, Barnoldswick welcome Oswaldtwistle, Salesbury are at home to Cherry Tree and Feniscowles are on the road at Brinscall.

Sunday sees the semi-finals of the T20 competition take place with Settle hosting Read and Feniscowles welcoming Salesbury with the final to take place seven days later on Sunday, September 6.