JEEVANTHA Kulatunga, Barnoldswick's new Sri Lankan professional, barely had time to unpack before he was tasting success against champions Read.

The all-rounder enjoyed a good knock of 51 off 49 balls and also pitched in with a couple of handy wickets.

The game was set up for a thrilling finish, which was duly completed by Barnoldswick skipper Michael Scothern, whose hat-trick heroics stole the points.

The experienced skipper was delighted at his team's victory away at Read.

He said: "It was fantastic for me and a fantastic end of the game.

"Read had done well to recover after an initial slump, with a good innings from Peter Sleep.

"We made a breakthrough just before my last over and I knew it would have to take something special to swing the game back in our favour. I made the decision to bowl the decisive over.

"Then, as they say, the rest was history. I pitched the balls as straight as possible and luckily for me got all three out lbw in successive deliveries."

It was a bitter-sweet result for Barnoldswick who narrowly lost out in the championship race to Read last season.

"We always seem to have good games against Read and this was no different. There was a small sense of revenge for last season."

Scothern was full of praise for their new professional, who looks in the first few games of the season to have adapted well to life at Barnoldswick.

"Kulatunga is a good player, he has very good pedigree with over a hundred first class games. He plays aggressively but hits the ball very sweetly and I'm hoping he will get a lot of runs for us.

"As regards his bowling, he is a very tidy medium pace. He literally landed the Wednesday before we played on the Saturday so he hasn't really been with us long. He has brought his wife with him and I think he has settled in well."

But the skipper realistically feels his side will be unable to challenge for the title despite a good start to the campaign.

"We do not appear to be as strong as we weere last season, having lost three of our top five batting order. I would think we are more likely to be a mid-table side."

But Scothern was quick to add: "But we still have a very varied bowling attack, with plenty of options there. We've got Mike Lord's leg spin and my medium pace and we've also got John Pickup for off-spin. But our position gives us the opportunity to give some of the other lads a go.

"We have a great team spirit at Barnoldswick and that showed towards the end of the game."

Sunday did not bring the same rewards for Barnoldswick as they played their delayed game against Blackburn Northern.

Northern pro Gareth Flusk notched 96 as the home side realised 211-6, though the visitors denied them maximum points as opener Ian Scothern gave them a firm basis with a half ton as they held on at 157-5.

It was Northern's second set of five points for the weekend after Saturday's home clash with Edenfield had brought a similar outcome.

Edenfield had set 183-7, with Greg Smithson top scoring on 54, but Northern had the edge with Chariwala unbeaten on 75 and Flusk not out on 55.

Table-toppers Settle kept up the pace with a seven point return from their trip to Great Harwood.

The visitors set 176-9 with professional Stuart Hornby notching 42, and the they bowled Harwood out for 155 with their paid man taking seven wickets for 84 runs.

With Blackburn Northern moving into second place, Ribblesdale Wanderers are third as they gained five points at Whalley, where the home side set 150-8 and in their curtailed reply a knock of 61 by pro Nawaz saw Wanderers close at 108-5.