BRILLIANT Read proved that skipper Kyle O’Connor’s statements of his club being more than a one-man team were bang on the mark on Saturday as they crushed Cherry Tree to move menacingly into second place.

O’Connor has been keen to point out there is much more to his team than the wickets and runs of the evergreen Jon Harvey – and it was others who stole the limelight in a Whalley Road romp.

O’Connor’s men were put into bat by Cherry skipper Mark Hadfield – and he must have been regretting that decision as soon as his pro Kamran Anwar was smashed out of the attack after three overs.

O’Connor was on fire, hitting 40 in no time to give his side a base.

After he departed it was over to pro Mohammed Jamil and Conor Lowes to pile on the pain – and how.

With boundaries coming at will Jamil, after a somewhat scratchy start, passed 50 from 37 balls.

And then he roared to 100 in 32 more as Cherry had no answer to him.

They had no answer to Lowes either as he clattered six fours and two sixes on his way to a 40-ball 50 as the scoreboard spun like a stopwatch.

Hadfield’s bad day also saw him bowl Andy Turner off a no-ball, while at the other end Jamal went on to finish 134 not out off just 84 balls with 10 sixes and 10 fours as Read closed on 300-5.

Cherry’s reply was spirited for a while with Hadfield making 46 but in the end they were 135 all out.

Read look good, but Baxenden are the top dogs after they crushed Padiham on a bad day for the Arbories side.

They lost skipper Callum Clarke to a nasty hand injury but with Chris Holt claiming six wickets they bowled Bash out for 135.

However, Padiham’s day was to turn into a shocker as Bash skipper Gary Sudworth had the ball on a string to return figures of 6-22 to leave the home side skittled for just 45.

Great Harwood skipper Paul Holdsworth made 67 not out and pro Tiaan Cloete hit 68 as they backed up a five wicket haul for Stuart Maher in a one-wicket win over Settle at The Cliffe.

It was also a good day for Whalley as they won for the first time as they claimed the scalp of Clitheroe.

David Howard turned on the style for his new club to claim 8-34 as Clitheroe were 93 all out – and Whalley got home by four wickets with Simon Gorton hitting the winning runs.

Imran Khalid claimed seven wickets as Barnoldswick beat Oswaldtwistle despite Neil Weaver’s five-wicket haul, while Ian Britcliffe’s seven wickets were not enough to prevent Ribblesdale Wanderers from defeat at the hands of Edenfield.

Salesbury beat Euxton and Earby edged out Brooksbottom in a thriller.