Earby had a good weekend, with a win on Sunday that advances them into the second round of the Lancashire Knock-out Cup and a draw against a strong Padiham side in the league on Saturday.

In the cup game on Sunday, Earby captain Stephen Hipgrave was happy with the batting total Earby posted in their innings against Liverpool side Wavertree.

Earby put up a competitive score of 146, before being bowled out.

Ali Azmat once again led the way with 37 runs, followed by knocks of 28, 20 and 19 by David Watson, Nigel Hodge and Stephen Pickles respectively.

In reply Wavertree lost two important wickets in their first two overs, including their Indian pro N Negi who scored just one run.

P Heath steadied the ship with a fine knock of 51, but Earby's bowlers did the business bowling Wavertree all out for 133.

Chris Walton (3-25), Matthew Haines (3-25) and Azmat (2-10) posted solid figures to lead the Earby attack.

Hipgrave said: "Getting their pro and the two early wickets was the key. They were always on the back foot."

In the second Earby take on Preston area side Fullwood & Broughton.

On Saturday, Earby earned a creditable draw against Padiham. Both teams scored 94 runs, but because Earby bowled out the opposition, they took nine points to Padiham's seven.

Batting first posted a total of 94-8 with Azmat top scoring on 32 and Haines chipping in with 21 runs.

In reply Padiham looked in pole position to win the game on 79-4, but their middle order and tail end wickets tumbled fast.

They lost their last wicket when Earby's Andrew Jaggers ran out Qadeer Ahmeed with five overs and three balls to play.

Hipgrave said: "We got out of jail. Ninety-four runs was not a good score. But the heads didn't drop and we put in an all-round team performance in the field and the bowling attack to win it."

Hipgrave (3-16) and Azmat (3-25) led the Earby bowlers with Haines taking 2-29.

This weekend Earby face a tough test when they travel to last year's league champions Clitheroe, and on Sunday they host Cherry Tree.

p Barnoldswick continue to struggle mightily. They lost by ten wickets against Ribblesdale Wanderers at Church Meadow on Saturday.

Batting first on a very wet wicket only No 9 batsman James Lemon scored in double figures, scoring 17 runs of Barlick's total of 55. Ribblesdale pro Joe Scuderi took 4-12, including the first four Barlick batsmen.

In reply Scuderi (17 not out) and A Marsh (37 not out) easily guided the Wanderers past the Barlick total.

Barlick captain Michael Scothern, who didn't play and is out for at least six weeks after knee surgery, said his side's poor results this season are down to the fact that their pro, Mohammed Ayub, has been unable to play because he cannot get a visa.

And the club have been unlucky with the sub-pros they have brought in. In five matches, the sub-pros have scored a grand total of 18 runs with three out for ducks, including Saturday's stand-in pro Kadir Shiraz.

But Scothern said Shiraz is a useful bowler and will play this weekend in Barlick's games against Blackburn Northern at Victory Park on Saturday and at Whalley on Sunday.

p Settle just can't scratch a win from anywhere at the moment.

They were beaten last Saturday after Read had posted a total of 229, led by Kenyan international Thomas Odoyo's 72.

The score was certainly achievable but in the end another abject display with the bat was their undoing, Raj Amunugama top scoring on 34 and John Hughes' knock of 33.

Settle captain Andrew Davidson said: "Certainly the runs scored by the professional Jeeva Kulatunga is a concern. It is vital for the success of any side that the pro leads with a big score. That then gives the amateurs the time and freedom to play without constraints and a feeling of pressure.

"This has has been the case over the last four years at the Marshfield and is certainly the dominating factor of those clubs in the top half of the table.

"After a bad spell last term at Victory Park, Settle opened their doors to the popular Sri Lankan, but after a good season back home things have not yet clicked with the bat.

Settle stand-in captain Tim Green said: "Jeeva needs a score. Not just for himself but to transmit confidence to the local lads.

"You only have to look at our success over the past four years and at clubs that are winning games now and it is the performance of the professional which is key. At the moment its not happening.

"However you only have to look what happened at Barlick when Jeeva ran into form in 2005. They surged up the table and nearly won it. We are just waiting for lift off," said Green, who leads the side after Davidson was hospitalised after complications from being hit by a ball against Whalley and which will keep him out for at least another week.

"Quite clearly confidence is a major factor in the performance of the side.

"Our bowling was good on Saturday and John Hughes performed well on his recall to the team, however it is our batting which is linked to confidence and we are not getting the rub of the green in terms of appealed decisions.

"I will sit down this week and see what we can do in term as of what is best for the team in terms of a re-shuffle or a re-jig of the batting order."

At one time Settle were 40-7 with Kenyan World Cup star Odoyo making inroads but positive batting from Amungama, Hughes and Dave Worthington showed what could be achieved.

A hard week end awaits the Settle side with leaders Baxenden visiting on Saturday and a visit to Great Harwood with new signings test players paceman Lawson (West Indies) and the evergreen Sleep (Australia) waiting on Sunday.