Airedale sister loses to Bingley brother in Craven League

Tim Crossley and his daughter Elizabeth, who plays for Crossflatts Women but was making her league debut for Airedale II, were up against her brother, 18-year-old James, who was playing for Bradford & Bingley III.

In the John Clayton Cup group game at Sandy Lane, Bingley, sent in, made 183-7, with Crossley scoring 36 at No.3.

His sister returned Airedale’s best bowling figures with 2-38.

Dad then scored 22 opening the batting, being caught and bowled by his son, but he was comfortably the top scorer as Airedale were dismissed for a paltry 61.

Through to the semi-finals of the 40-overs-per-side competition on Sunday, July 14 are three of the teams who featured in the last four in 2023.

Silsden II, who were runners-up, entertain Skipton CI II in a repeat of their 2023 semi-final, while the other losing semi-finalists, Sutton II, are at Menston IV.

The latter two played each other at High Royds in their final group game, with Sutton II opting to bat and being given a fine start by 15-year-old opener Jack Middleton (43) on their way to 139-8.

Sutton then pushed Menston close with the ball, but the home side won by two wickets with 20 balls to spare, despite 16-year-old Charlie Whitaker taking 3-31 and Jaison Joseph 3-30.

Silsden II romped home by 80 runs against visitors Glusburn to wrap up their mini league, making 158 after being asked to bat, an innings that was dominated by Finlay Nixon-Snowden.

He scored 91 from 87 balls before being eighth out at 140 as part of a collapse from 131-4, with Tahir Mehmood bagging 3-39 and Rafaqat Hussain 4-22.

Silsden needn’t have worried, however, as Glusburn were rolled over for 78 inside 21 overs, with only two players reaching double figures.

Nixon-Snowden rounded off a brilliant day with 3-11, while Joshua Jordan took 3-29.

Gargrave II may have missed out on the semi-finals this time, but one of their players had the best figures of the weekend, with Ben Wood taking an incredible 6-6 from seven overs, as visitors Haworth II were shot out for 23 in 15 overs trying to overhaul the home side’s 169-6.

Denholme finished fifth, winning their final group game at home to Bowling Baptist II, who were dismissed for 123 after being sent in, Hussnain Ali taking 3-20 and Guy Flanagan 3-21.

Ali then scored 84 not out from 77 deliveries opening proceedings, including 13 fours and two sixes, as Denholme won by four wickets in the 27th over.

In the Wynn Cup semi-finals, also on July 14, holders and Group B winners Gargrave will be at home to Group A runners-up Bradley, while the other semi-final is a Bradford derby between Group A winners Bowling Baptists and Group B runners-up Hepworth & Idle.

Gargrave completed their group matches in style, defeating hosts Sutton by eight wickets in the 23rd over.

Sutton opted to bat but could only make 142, 37 of which were scored by opener Sam Solley as they stuttered from 62-2.

Sam Solley batted well for Sutton, but his side were outclassed in the end by Gargrave. (Image: Phil Jackson.)

Silsden finished third in the group, winning a thriller at Cononley.

Sent in, the Cobbydalers made 179-7, with Mohsan Gulbar (60) top scoring.

Colin Stead was outstanding with the ball for Cononley, taking 2-11 off eight overs, while Andrew Starkey chipped in with 2-26.

Cononley were then dismissed for 177 off the penultimate ball to lose by two runs, which was tough luck on Tom Feather, who made 79.

Gulbar was the Silsden hero with the ball too, completing  a fine match by taking 3-12.

More in line with Gargrave’s match was the emphatic victory, also by eight wickets, for Glusburn at home to Thornton-in-Craven, who were dismissed for 124 after being sent in.

Three Glusburn bowlers took three wickets - Irfan Khaliq (3-20), Abrar Sarwar (3-19) and Danny Ridehalgh (3-30).

Dipesh Mistry then scored 57 off 56 deliveries as Glusburn romped home in 18.3 overs, helped by keeper Steve Brown thrashing 41 not out off 23 balls.

Long Lee won a tight match against Eldwick & Gilstead at Grange Road by seven runs.

Opener Tom Butterfield (63) got Long Lee off to a bright start as they were asked to bat, and they posted a challenging total of 182-8.

E&G skipper Arnie Raistrick (68) and Jordan Bayliss (41), the only two players to make double figures, almost took them to victory in the reply before they were dismissed for 175 with two balls remaining.

Qasim Tarin took 3-32 for Long Lee in victory, while Yasser Chatta managed 2-13 off eight tight overs.

In Group A, Bradley clinched second place in comprehensive fashion at home to Denholme.

They asked the hosts to bat, and may have regretted it at tea as Bradley scored 241-8, with keeper Dave Hunt (46) getting them off to a bright start before Juni Ashraf (70no) ran riot towards the back end of the innings.

Ryan Judson (2-33) and Mohammed Ali Raja (2-26) were Denholme’s best bowlers, but they then never came close to chasing that total down, as they were all out for 79 in 22.3 overs, change bowlers Akeel Rashid (3-31) and Mohammed Qadeer (4-10) doing the damage.

Division Two Airedale upset the odds with a seven-run victory at home to Division One Haworth Road Meths.

Keeper and skipper Alec Pue (43) got Airedale off to a good start but their final total of 167 looked inadequate when Meths reached 130-3 in reply.

But they lost their last seven wickets for 30 runs to slide to a narrow defeat, with Ahsan Rizwan taking 3-36 and Scott Whittam-Ritchie 3-37.

Cowling, runners-up in 2023, just missed out on a semi-final place, despite winning by three wickets at Haworth, who could only make 136-9 after collapsing from 108-1.

Captain Damian Rowell (58) hit four fours and four sixes up the order, but he was not backed up well enough by his team-mates.

Nawab Ali, the sixth bowler used, had the best figures of 4-21.

Cowling were in strife after tea, being 43-6 as Rowell took 3-13 and Paul Stephens 3-27.

But then Danish Hameed scored 50 and Junaid Gulnawaz struck 42 not off 30 balls, as they added 82 for the seventh wicket to ensure victory in the 28th over.

Ingrow were no match for Bowling Baptists at Scotchman Road, despite making 165-6 after being sent in.

Skipper Toby Hartley scored 57 up top, hitting eight fours, and he added 93 for the second wicket with Shahid Ajmal (42).

The home side then won inside 19 overs for the loss of just one wicket.

One match didn’t finish because of rain, and the contest was interestingly poised when stumps were pulled.

Riddlesden, sent in, made 201-7, Azhar Iqbal being the best of seven bowlers used with 2-20.

Hosts Skipton CI were then 94-3 off 25.2 overs when play stopped.

Through to the Cowling Cup T20 finals day at Hepworth & Idle on Sunday, August 18 are 2023 beaten semi-finalists Cowling II, who will kick-off proceedings against Ingrow II at 10am, followed by Bradley II against the hosts’ second XI at 1.30pm, with the final to follow at 4.30pm.

Group winners Cowling II should have been in double-header action, but received a walkover from Bingley Congs III so only faced Keighley III.

Cowling chose to bat and made 84-8, with only opener Reyan Hassan Ali (33) making any real impression as Abid Hussain took 4-11.

Five of the six Cowling bowlers then took wickets as Keighley could only make 77-9 in reply.

Bradley II found run-making slightly easier at Wilsden II, scoring 109-9 after being sent in, Luke Watson (23) top scoring.

Wilsden were then restricted to 83-9, with Donnacha Washington (2-19), Watson (2-13) and Charlie Andrews (2-19) each taking two wickets.

Ingrow II won a tense contest at home to Menston V by two runs.

Sent in, Ingrow scored 104-8, Shaun Robbeson (21) the only player to pass 20.

Naz Qasam then took 2-17 and Robbeson 2-13 as Menston were restricted to 102-9.

Meanwhile, Long Lee II conceded to Hepworth & Idle II.