MICHAEL Scothern returned to the amateur ranks after years as a professional in the Lancashire leagues and produced the goods for Barnoldswick.

He captured six wickets for 32 runs as they comfortably beat Settle and was also top scorer.

Clitheroe also captured seven points as they defeated Cherry Tree who were bowled out for 92.

Jonathan Fielding took six for 45 and Neil Bolton scored 56 as Clitheroe held on with nine wickets down.

Dexter Fitton stood in as sub pro for Ribblesdale Wanderers, with Shahid Nawaz unable to catch a flight from Pakistan, and earned his keep with 91 in their innings of 132-9.

Charles Dagnall, Great Harwood's new professional, made a superb start for the club taking a wicket with his first ball and ending with figures of 6-57. Matthew Cheesbrough was top scorer for Harwood with 37 which included 22 in one over.

Padiham were bowled out by Edenfield with Michael Hawke taking five wickets and team mate Michael Carpendale also capturing a five wicket haul.

Phil Metcalfe scored 62 of Padiham's runs. Edenfield missed out in the run chase despite 54 from John Kershaw. Padiham pro Mark Harvey took 6-70. Whalley started the season with a win as Baxenden struggled to 129-9 with Mark Rishton 53 in reply to Whalley's 157.

Andrew Jaggers captured five wickets for Earby as they beat Read the Applegarth professional Jonathan Harvey scored 71 on a difficult wicket while Dave Parsons took 5-40.

Oswaldtwistle professional Zahir Abbass Hanif top scored for the side with 45 not out as they beat Blackburn Northern by nine wickets. Northern had struggled to 126-9 as Andy Hornsby took 5-36.

Results: Baxenden 129-9, Whalley 157-7 (5 pts); Blackburn Northern 126-9, Oswaldtwistle 127-1 (5); Clitheroe 144-9 (7), Cherry Tree 92; Edenfield 138 (2), Padiham 172 (7); Great Harwood 111, Ribblesdale Wanderers 132-9 (7); Read 146, Earby 152-8 (7); Settle 89, Barnoldswick 138-8 (7).

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.