Haworth get key win in Craven League relegation battle

Sent in by fellow strugglers Wilsden, Haworth made a decent 193-6, with Jamie Rowell top-scoring with 40 at No.3.

Then the innings got a late boost as 18-year-old Charlie Jackson (35 not out) and Jacob Hudson (33no) put on 49 unbroken.

Wilsden were 68-3, but lost their last seven wickets for just nine runs, Damian Rowell taking 5-15 and Hudson bagging 4-21.

Just one place above Haworth are defending champions Riddlesden, who lost again - this time at home to second-placed Hepworth & Idle, who made 199 after being sent in, with Mohammed Gulnawaz taking 3-43 and Mohammed Zulfiqar bagging 2-37.

Riddlesden made a fine start, with opener Zafran Ghaffar (50) and Ehsan Khan (32) adding 81 for the second wicket, but they could only muster 183, as the innings fell away.

Cowling remain third after winning a game of over 400 runs at home to Bradley, who have established themselves nicely in the top flight having gained promotion.

The home side were 40-3 at one stage but finished on a more than healthy 231-7, chiefly thanks to Daud Khan (74) and Laiq Ur Rehman (54), who put on 104 together.

Henry Meynell dismissed the top four on his way to figures of 5-55.

Sixth-placed Bradley also had two players who passed 50, keeper Dave Hunt (54) and Iklaq Ahmed (52), but they fell short on 186.

The wickets were shared between Hamid Ullah (3-66), Danish Hameed (3-30) and Ur Rehman (3-41).

Glusburn, promoted like Bradley, slipped one place to seventh after losing by four wickets in a low-scoring encounter at home to Eldwick & Gilstead.

The hosts won the toss but could only total 105, Matt Lloyd top scoring with 27.

The match was in the balance when E&G were 67-6, but they lost no wickets thereafter, defying Irfan Khaliq (3-35) and Abrar Sarwar (2-34).

Runs were also at a premium for Airedale and Ingrow in Division Two.

Leaders Bowling Baptists only made 106 after winning the toss at the Airedale Oval, with Ijaz Shah taking 3-13 and Scott Whittam-Ritchie 4-43.

But that was 12 too many for Airedale, who were 16-5 before Hasan Sabir (49) led a battling recovery effort which fell just short.

There was a similar story at Skipton CI, who made 86 after winning the toss at home to Ingrow, change bowlers Atif Malik (4-29) and Toby Hartley (3-21) triggering a collapse from 51-2 to 62-9.

However, crucially there was a last-wicket stand of 24, which gave the hosts something to bowl at.

Ingrow’s only man in double figures was skipper and opener Matty Courtman (16), but they still had CI worried when there was a last-wicket stand of 18, only for them to lose by 10 runs after being dismissed for 76.

Cononley were the big losers, sliding from fourth to seventh after a five-wicket defeat at home to Denholme.

Sent in, Cononley were castled for 91, despite a fifth-wicket stand of 42 between captain Harry Parker (27) and 16-year-old Ikram Daulatzia (17), with Ryan Judson taking 5-26 and Hussnain Ali 3-4.

Denholme won in the 24th over, with Richard Taylor scoring 26 and Ryan Clark 26 not out, Colin Stead improving his bowling average by taking 4-20.

Silsden are hanging onto the coattails of Bowling Baptists, notching a fourth win of the campaign by defeating third-placed visitors Thornton-in-Craven.

The away side opted to have first knock, but were back in the pavilion for a modest 130, as the wickets were shared between Bilal Mahmood (4-27), Will Pullen (2-35) and Mohsan Gulbhar (2-20).

Joshua Waind then came off in his pinch-hitting opening role, scoring 80 off 63 balls, as Silsden won by five wickets inside 29 overs.

Mark Laycock (2-22) and David Wolfe (2-50) did best with the ball for the Booth Bridge Laners.

Sutton are the big climbers, moving up three places to fifth, after a six-wicket victory at cellar dwellers Hepworth & Idle II.

The hosts won the toss but could only score 109, Dave Snowden taking 3-11.

Dave Snowden is often Sutton's saviour with the bat, but it was his superb figures of 3-11 that paved the way to victory for his side on Saturday. (Image: Andy Garbutt.)

Keeper Oliver Gledhill then scored 45 not out as Sutton won in the 31st over.

Long Lee are the new leaders of Division Three, taking advantage of Cowling II’s first slip up of the league season.

Menston IV won the toss at Golden View, but were dismissed for 88, the wickets being shared between Shahbaz Ahmed (3-33), Qasim Tarin (2-17), Aqeel Aziz (2-21) and Richard Ayrton (2-1).

Waqas Ahmed then scored an unbeaten 45 off 43 balls as Long Lee won by seven wickets in the 23rd over.

Cowling II could only field 10 men against Bradford & Bingley III at Sandy Lane and were dismissed for 57, Reyan Hassan top-scoring with 13 not out.

Bingley tottered from 28-1 to 37-5 but still won by three wickets, despite Awais Riaz bagging 3-6.

Silsden II have climbed to third after receiving a walkover at Wilsden II, while Sutton II are fourth after a convincing home win over mid-table Bingley Congs III.

The home team’s production line of talent is in good working order as 16-year-old Charlie Whitaker (20), 21-year-old George Elrick (41), 15-year-old Sam Stoneman (40) and 14-year-old Will Tedder (18no) all scored good runs in a solid total of 173-6.

That proved far too much for Congs, who were then dismissed for 90, with Elrick taking 5-10 and Whitaker 3-25.

Gargrave II’s match against Keighley III at Marley did not start as the ground was double booked.

There was a top-of-the-table clash in Division Four, and it led to the front-runners changing places.

Second-placed Skipton CI II won the toss at Matthew Lane and sent Bradley II in, who scored 159-8, the bulk of which was made by Ed Washington (39) and Mehmood Hussain (61no).

CI never looked like matching that and were dismissed for 92, being unable to cope with Donnacha Washington (5-9) and Charlie Andrews (3-19).

Third-placed Glusburn were always in the driving seat at Ingrow II, winning the toss and scoring 236-6, with important contributions coming from Tahir Mehmood (69no), Rafaqat Hussain (40no) and Umar Dar (53).

Ingrow were then toppled for just 86 by Dar (3-27), Mehmood (3-25) and skipper Mark Pickles (2-7).

Haworth stay fourth after winning a thriller at Scotchman Road.

Bowling Baptists won the toss, but could only score 114, Matt Wooding (4-11) and 12-year-old Max Wareing (4-17) causing chaos among the home side’s batting ranks.

Opener Wooding (27) and Wareing (42) then put on 67 for the fourth wicket, before Matt Verdeyen weighed in with 28, but things got tense after Haworth collapsed from 102-3 to 114-9.

However, the last pair got the single that was needed for victory.

Airedale II were up one place to fifth, despite being dismissed for 82 by Hepworth & Idle III at Cambing.

Veteran Trevor Cox (20) top scored as Airedale recovered somewhat from 14-4 and then the Westfield Laners were castled for 42 in a dreadful reply.

Calum Davies (4-1), Paul Feather (3-16) and Tim Crossley (2-1) were the three men doing the damage.

Long Lee II have dropped a place to ninth after losing by four wickets to Menston V at High Royds.

Sent in, the visitors scored 92, captain Tom Butterfield leading by example with his 40, but they tottered badly from 79-4.

Menston had five players in double figures after tea as they secured victory, with Butterfield (2-26) and Mick Henry (2-18) the chief wicket-takers.