LANCASHIRE star Oliver Newby may well have been the star attaction and the name on most people’s lips as he returned to action for his home club – but Read’s elder statesman Jon Harvey stole the headlines with a five-wicket derby day haul to steer his side to joint top of the Ribblesdale League.

There were a few murmurings of discontent from some of Whalley’s followers that Red Rose ace Newby was allowed to pitch up for the second day of the season but those mutterings were quickly forgotten when Harvey, still a formidable player at the age of 42, gloved a rising Wilkin Mota ball through to James Galling for just five with the score on 11.

Read pro – and Newby’s Old Trafford team-mate – Jordan Clark then came to the wicket and he was to prove pivotal with the bat as his 65 was the difference.

Andrew Laycock’s 11 and Newby’s 11 were the only other scores in double figures as Whalley turned the screw with the ball as 73-3 became 109 all out.

Clark was the last man out having faced 95 balls and hitting six fours and one six on a testing track.

Simon Gorton was the bowling star for Whalley as he claimed 5-25, while Indian ace Mota, who had a couple of years playing IPL for the King’s XI Punjab, impressed with 3-36.

Defending 109 was a tall order for Kyle O’Connor’s men but Clark struck twice to remove Martin Davies and Lee Kearsley before Harvey got down to business.

He got rid of Richard Lamb and Declan Fitzhenry and Whalley were on the rocks at 32-4.

The departure of Mark Fallon left Whalley on 41-5 and in serious danger but Mota and skipper Richard Palmer tried to repair the damage with a 30-run stand, which was broken by Harvey when he removed Palmer for 13.

Newby only bowled four overs but claimed two wickets including the crucial one of Mota for a patient 18 and there was little more in the way of resistance as Whalley were 83 all out with Harvey claiming 5-23 from 13 overs.

Read are locked together at the top with Barnoldswick, who made it two wins from two under new skipper Matt Nutter at reigning champions Baxenden.

They bowled Bash out for 160 and then Abdul Saddique batted beautifully to made 84 not out as Barlick got home by six wickets.

Clitheroe also won for the second time - but their success over Great Harwood at Chatburn Road was rain affected.

Former skipper Peter Dibb made 63 for Clitheroe as they posted 169-7 and Harwood were on 75-4 when the rain came to bring an end to proceedings.

Settle also made it two wins from two as they chased down a big target in their Marshfield clash with Oswaldtwistle Immanuel.

Immanuel pro Chris Cook-Martin batted beautifully for 102, facing just 106 balls and hitting five fours and five sixes, and 22 from captain Nick Payne helped them up to 180-8.

Robbie Pearson went early and cheaply as Settle replied but Aneeq Hassan and sub-pro Clinton Perrin shared a 99-run stand for the second wicket to put Settle in the box seat.

Hassan went for 47, while Perrin hit 60 before they were both removed by Neil Weaver and then Gerard Metcalf insitgated a mid-innings wobble only for Lawrence Read to clatter his side over the winning line with 11 balls left.

Steve Meehan claimed five wickets but Padiham were beaten at Ribblesdale Wanderers while Edenfield recovered from their opening day loss to beat Cherry Tree at Preston Old Road.

Andrew Rushton and Matloob Khan both claimed four wickets as Cherry Tree were hustled out for 105 in 34.4 overs with pro Liam Jackson top scoring with 21.

That target was never really going to test a strong Edenfield batting line-up and 49 from pro Paul Gallagher eased them over the line despite the best efforts of Andreas Sudnik (2-11) and Jackson (2-25).

Salesbury’s game at Earby was abandoned.