MICHAEL Scothern took a hat-trick to grab victory from the jaws of defeat as BARNOLDSWICK beat READ in the Jennings Ribblesdale League.

The Barnoldswick skipper thought he had seen the chance of victory slip away as Peter Sleep scored 71 not out to rescue the Read side, who lost their first three wickets with just one run on the board.

They continued to struggle to 46-6 but then clawed their way back into the game and needed just four runs to win with three wickets in hand at the start of Scothern's over.

Sleep stole a single off the first ball, but he could only watch as Scothern claimed his three victims with consecutive balls - all given out lbw.

Earlier Barnoldswick's Sri Lankan professional, Kalatunga, launched his big-hitting innings with style, blasting the first three deliveries off Warren Eastham, out of the ground. He went on to score 51 in 49 balls, but the Barnoldswick innings sturggled to 140-8.

SETTLE took an early lead at the top of the table as they picked up maximum points against GREAT HARWOOD thanks to professional Stuart Hornby. He scored 42 as they set a target of 176-9 and followed up with seven wickets for 84 runs as Harwood were dismissed for 155.

EARBY pulled off a run-rate win over BAXENDEN after former Applegarth pro Jonathan Harvey plundered 117 in his side's total of 180-6. New Earby pro Steven Crook hit back with a rapid 61 partnered by skipper Chris Walton who scored 51 to put them within sight of victory.

Sub professional Johann Bhota took 5-26 as CLITHEROE had CHERRY TREE in trouble at 145, but the Blackburn side were saved when rain ended the game with Clitheroe on 22-2.

Anthony Hall played a captain's innings, scoring 62 as PADIHAM reached 235-7 against OSWALDTWISTLE. The visitors made a game of it with Chris Burton top scoring with 54, but they were short on 203-9.

Shahid Nawaz scored 61 as RIBBLESDALE WANDERERS pulled off a run-rate victory over WHALLEY. Neil Cordingley scored 52 as Whalley set a target of 153-8 with Dave Haworth taking 5-57, but Nawaz made certain Wanderers took the points as they reached 108-5 in 28 overs.

Results -- Senior Division: Blackburn N 143-5 (5) Edenfield 183-78 (0); Clitheroe 22-2 (2) Cherry Tree 145 (2); Earby 174-7 (5) Baxenden 180-6 (0); Great Harwood 155 (0) Settle 176-9 (7); Padiham 235-7 (5) Oswaldtwistle Imm 203-9 (0); Read 137 (0) Barnoldswick 140-8 (7); Whalley 153-8 (0) Ribblesdale W 108-5 (5).

SENIOR DIVISION

P W L Bp Nr Pts

Settle... 2 2 0 2 0 12

Blackburn N... 2 2 0 0 0 10

Ribblesdale W... 2 2 0 0 0 10

Clitheroe... 2 1 0 02 1 9

Barnoldswick... 2 1 1 2 0 7

Cherry Tr... 2 1 0 0 1 7

Earby... 2 1 1 0 0 5

Padiham... 2 1 1 0 0 5

Read... 2 1 1 0 0 5

Baxenden... 2 0 2 0 0 0

Edenfield... 2 0 2 0 0 0

Gt Harwood... 2 0 2 0 0 0

Oswle Imm... 2 0 2 0 0 0

Whalley... 2 0 2 0 0 0