THE return of Paul Ridgway to the Settle ranks gave the Marshfield men an immediate boost as the paceman turned in a vintage performance at Clitheroe in the Jennings Ribblesdale League.

'Rocky' Ridgway's recent injury-enforced absence, coupled with other ailments and holiday handicaps, has been a serious setback for the North Craven side.

The trip to Clitheroe promised to be a major problem for Settle from a bowling stand-point, but Ridgway's unexpected return proved invaluable after the batting line-up had done a very good job to give him something to work with.

Settle batted first and reached 207-5, opener Paul Stafford setting the standard and his colleagues taking his lead.

An opening stand of 55 between Stafford (41) and Keith Hornby (19) gave the Settle innings a solid foundation and though professional Stewart Hornby went cheaply, Mark Verden and Tim Green were both in fine fettle. Verden was predictably direct, including four sixes and a four in his brisk 30, while Green (53) hit his second successive half-century as the pair kept the total moving along steadily.

Paul Taylor (31no) and Ridgway (10no) eventually carried the visitors to their 207 tally to leave Hornby Junior and Ridgway to take up the gauntlet.

While Hornby may be going through a comparatively lean spell, he turned in a 23-over stint which yielded only 74 runs, while Ridgway was at his best, his 7-66 return from 22 overs being exactly what him and his side needed.

There were anxieties initially when openers Bishop (14) and Bolton (27) put on 46 for the first wicket, but Ridgway dismissed them both at that score and from that point the question was whether Clitheroe had the batting to deny the visitors the full seven points.

Despite Ridgway's best efforts, they just managed it, closing at 153-9, but five points earned at the third-placed club not only keeps the side's top-four ambitions alive, but will have done morale a power of good after recent adversities.

Barnoldswick fulfilled their ambition of getting out of the bottom slot when they collected a welcome victory at fellow strugglers Padiham.

Another outstanding bowling display was the key to the Victory Park team's success, skipper Michael Scothern also producing a seven-wicket display to put his side firmly in the driving seat.

Scothern struck a crucial blow when he had professional Pankaj Tripathi caught behind by brother Ian for 15 and he went on to work his way steadily through the Padiham ranks to finish with 7-32 from 14.2 unplayable overs.

Chasing a modest 109 for victory, openers Jeevantha Kulatunga and Ian Scothern wasted no time in putting the visitors in a very strong position. They put on 54 for the first wicket, the Sri Lankan blitzing the Padiham attack with another display of aggressive hitting. He had five sixes and three fours in his 26-minute stay at the crease which yielded 46.

His partner went on to make 44 - including eight fours and a six - as he teamed up with John Pickup (15no) to move Barnoldswick to the brink of victory and although Sid Sheraz went cheaply, Barry Charnley and Pickup carried the side through to victory in an impressive 17.1 overs.

There were no such heriocs for Earby, however, who went down by six wickets at home to Ribblesdale Wanderers.

Earby continue to be handicapped by the lack of a top-class strike bowler, the prolonged injury absence of professional Steve Crook robbing the side of a consistent cutting edge, although without a top-class effort from No 9 Andrew Rushton, the batting credits would have been sparse.

Despite some good work from Matthew Nutter (32), guest professional Mahammed Ayub (29) and Nigel Hodge (35no), the Applegarth men had still subsided to 78-8 before Rushton joined the fray.

He proceeded to apply himself sensibly to the challenge and although his contribution of 60 to a 72-run stand with Hodge suggests generous use of 'the long handle', his innings was much more measured as he helped the home side to post a respectable 184-8 total.

With Crook on the sidelines to watch the plight his problems have inflicted on his team-mates, Earby laid bare their difficulties in the bowling department. Rushton's 36-run concession from three costly overs was by no means as precise as his batting and with only Paul Baistow managing a maiden over - four from nine in a 1-20 display - no-one else fared significantly better.

With professional Shahid Nawaz (51), Martin Briggs (55) and David Howard (38no) taking full advantage, the visitors reached their target with six wickets and 10 overs in hand.

News that Crook is recovering well from surgery was doubtless greeted with deep relief.