WITH the first two weekends washed out in the new North West League, Settle senior teams were desperate for action at the weekend.

All three sides happily routed their opposition, carrying on from where they left off at the top of their divisions in the old Ribblesdale League.

The First XI were missing a few regulars on Saturday but were still too much for Baxenden who crashed out for just 51 runs. Their attempts to punch shots through the covers in damp conditions made life easier for John Tarbox whose decades of experience and relentless accuracy brought a return of 6-19. All six wickets were without any help from the field. Run outs from John Davidson and Archie Phillipson only made matters worse as the visitors folded inside twenty-two overs, but not before Overseas Amateur Tremaine Dowrich picked up a wicket on debut with his left-arm spin.

Settle duly knocked of the runs in eleven overs with Phillipson unbeaten on 17 and pro Ashen Silva making 24 not out to claim a nine-wicket victory with the match wound up in less time than a T/20 bash.

Settle 2nd XI were put in to bat at Whalley, a move that might have paid off had not Paul Clarke dug in for an epic 76, his highest knock for the club, as wickets tumbled around him. Harris Dinsdale (12no) in at ten was the only other batsman into double figures as the visitors somehow made it to 161 all out, boosted by 31 wides.

Paul Dockerty (3-18) did early damage in the reply, but a career-best 5-8 from Callum Mathew put paid to Whalley’s hopes and secured a crushing 97-run victory.

Not to be outdone, Settle’s Development XI won by 51 runs at Ribblesdale Wanderers, debutant Tatenda Junior Taibu making 26 and Mathew 30, supported by 26 from Connor Stubbs in a total of 130-8. Their bowlers then made short work of the Wanderers’ line-up as Will Tyrer took 3-4 with two wickets apiece for Taibu, Jason Paul and Jack Caton on his senior debut.

There might be tougher competition for the firsts this weekend as they face a two and a half hour hour round trip to Atherton. However, the Second and Development elevens both entertain anxious Baxenden sides.