NEITHER Haworth nor Cowling, two of the three title contenders last season in Division One of the Craven League, have started the 2022 campaign the way that they would have wished.

Both lost two of their first three matches, but won their latest encounters to take their record to two wins and two losses.

Haworth won the toss at home to cellar dwellers Sutton and made merry, scoring 244-7, with skipper James Roper (94) and Jamie Rowell (45) putting on 145 for the first wicket.

Roper’s 64-ball knock included 10 fours and six sixes, and wicket-keeper Pete Gower (45) and Ben Bright (22) then added 53 for the fourth wicket as Dave Snowden did well to take 2-23.

Captain Snowden was then to the fore with the bat with 30, but an even better contribution came from Craig Thornton, whose unbeaten 63 contained nine fours and a six.

He put on 78 for the sixth wicket with Tony Walton (24), but Sutton could only finish on 157-9 as Damian Rowell (5-31) and Jacob Hudson (2-26) weighed in.

Cowling were chasing after Haworth Road Meths won the toss and made 169-9, with Martyn Dalby taking 4-28 and Naqi Hassan 3-31.

Dalby then completed a match to remember by making 101 not out to spearhead a six-wicket win, which was achieved with six and a half overs to spare.

Hassan was also an all-round star with 39.

Oakworth, surprisingly not in the title chase last year, were at home to 2021 runners-up Bingley Congs, but did not cash in after winning the toss at Wide Lane and were castled for 80, with Jake Keslinke (17) and skipper Liam Humphreys (24) the exceptions to the rule.

Harry Hollingsworth then took 4-46 but Congs still won by five wickets in the 18th over.

Denholme’s batting faltered at Gargrave after they won the toss and were dismissed for 70, which was an improvement from 22-5 as Adrian Shires made 36.

Gargrave won by eight wickets in the 14th over, dropping Denholme to third.

Ingrow remain just outside the bottom two after Wilsden racked up 234-9, Shahid Ajmal taking 3-47.

The Keighley side could only reply with 149, which was tough on Tom Tetley (78) and keeper Ben Weatherall (37).

There seems no stopping Riddlesden, who have won four out of four in Division Two.

They dismissed visitors Foulridge for 103, who collapsed from 62-2 as Arfan Mahmood took 3-26 and Aftab Khan 3-25.

Khan scored an unbeaten 31 as Riddlesden triumphed by seven wickets in the 12th over after Mohammed Kamran had scored a half-century.

Glusburn are second, 13 points behind, after making 168, with opener Matt Lloyd (46) and skipper Steve Brown (54) putting on 99 for the second wicket.

Shahbaz Ahmed took 4-43 for Long Lee, and he then scored 42 in their 135, with Irfan Khaliq bagging 4-42, Brett Parkin 3-26 and James Tillotson 3-31.

Bradley were in the runs against Airedale, making 212-7, with George Bell (111) and Toby Meynell (42) putting on 136 for the third wicket.

Airedale, who won the toss and chose to field, replied with 148, with the reliable captain and keeper Alec Pue scoring 48 and Mathew Cox 53 not out as loanee Harry Parker took 5-24 and Meynell 4-24.

Silsden notched their second victory of the season in a low-scoring match at home to Barrowford II.

New signing Johnny Atherton made 52, including six fours and a six, in Silsden’s 119, while Joshua Waind (4-23), Jack Roberts (3-15) and Will Pullen (2-28) proved an effective triple spearhead as the Lancastrians were dismissed for 92.

In Division Three, Oakworth II are up to fifth after handing Skipton CI II their first defeat of the season.

CI won the toss and batted, but could only score 125, losing regular wickets after being 72-2, with Tom Raby taking 4-25.

Wajid Hussain (49no) and Louis Stephens (50no) then shone in Oakworth’s six-wicket win in the 30th over.

There was no idle Chatta for Cowling II at basement boys Denholme II.

Yasser made 72 and skipper Aqib 25 in Cowling’s 204-9, with Yasser and Junaid Gullnawaz (19) adding 64 for the third wicket before Mohammed Abdullah Iqbal scored 30.

Amit Mistry took 3-22 and Tim Shires 4-42 for Denholme, who replied with 129, with Martin Armitage and Zak Khan both scoring 27 and Katie Charlton a splendid 32 not out.

Avjeet Ghosh and Aqib Chatta bagged 4-50 and 4-29 respectively for Cowling II.

Haworth II did not overwork the scorers at Hepworth & Idle II, who made 174, with Ollie Bishop taking 5-27 and Darren Ellerton 3-27.

The Brontelanders were then toppled for 52, with only two players reaching double figures.

Airedale’s first XI might be struggling, but their second team aren’t, being second in the Division Four table.

They won the toss at Glusburn II and made 175-7, Paul Feather cracking 83 off 69 balls after Jan Haider had scored 31.

The home side were then castled for 71, having been 45-1, as Asad Moghul took 5-26 and Calum Davies 4-42.

Ingrow, eight-wicket winners over hosts Sutton II, are up to fifth.

Sutton were 71-2 but did not make many more, being back in the pavilion for 92, despite 33 from opener Andrew Fountain, 16 from captain Jack Middleton and 13 from Dylan Hanson.

Ingrow’s four bowlers all did well, with Adam Millward taking 3-18, Mo Chowdhory 3-21, Naz Qasam 2-20 and Jake Exley 2-28.

Visiting skipper Adam Marks was again to the fore with 31 not out.