Long Lee have wildly different day to Haworth second strings

On the verge of winning the Division Three title, Long Lee made a mammoth 388-9 after being sent in by Bradford & Bingley III at Golden View.

Two players made centuries, opener Tom Butterfield (147) and No.3 Waqas Ahmed (112), before Bingley were dismissed for 42 in 17.4 overs.

Aqeel Aziz stood out with 3-6, as Long Lee achieved a monumental winning margin of 346 runs.

Haworth II fared even worse than the Wagon Laners in Division Four, being dismissed for 27 by leaders Bradley II, with the innings containing eight ducks.

Opener Stephen Bell watched the carnage at the other end in horror, as he scored 21 of his side’s 27 runs.

Charlie Andrews had the remarkable analysis of 7-9 from 8.4 overs as Haworth had no answer.

Bradley, who only need four points to secure the title, then needed only six overs to knock off the runs.

Bradley’s first XI are in a battle with Wilsden to stay afloat in Division One.

Wilsden, who need maximum points to have any hope, are at home to Glusburn on Saturday, while Bradley, who need four points to be safe, are at Haworth Road Meths.

Bradley did not help themselves on Saturday by handing hosts Haworth only their second win of the season.

Haworth were 53-5 after winning the toss, but Ben Bright (93 off 84 balls) and Damian Rowell (59 off 26 balls) turned the innings on its head, as their side closed on 243-9, despite Zain Naeem taking 3-15 in his eight eight overs and Iqbal 3-53 in 4.4 overs.

The visitors, who were 64-3, only had four players in double figures in their reply of 84, headed by Jim Tate (23).

Rowell took 3-33 and Paul Stephens managed 3-12 for already-relegated Haworth.

Mid-table Cowling were the latest side to be beaten by second-placed Riddlesden, who made 181 after winning the toss.

Junaid Gulnawaz (4-39) and Laiq Ur Rehman (3-29) got among the wickets for Cowling as Ehsan Khan made 72 off 87 balls for Riddlesden.

Cowling were in with a sniff at 135-6 after Martyn Dalby (42) had batted nicely, but they lost their last four wickets for just six runs.

Martyn Dalby was not backed up well enough by his Cowling team-mates with the bat, and they were beaten by Riddlesden. (Image: Bob Smith.)

Mohammed Zulfiqar finishing with 3-47 and Mohammad Ishtiaq claimed 4-25 in Riddlesden’s victory.

Gargrave, with the title safely in the bag, lost only their third game of the campaign.

They went down by 55 runs at Glusburn, who climbed one place to fifth as a result.

The hosts won the toss, and Dipesh Mistry (60) was the chief run-scorer in their challenging total of 219-9.

Gargrave were then dismissed for 164, which was a big improvement on being 26-5 and 50-6, as Irfan Khaliq stood out with 3-21.

The battle for the Division Two championship will go to the last Saturday, with Bowling Baptists, who are 15 points ahead, at home to Denholme, while second-placed Silsden are at Skipton CI, who are one of four sides who might go down alongside Hepworth & Idle II.

Silsden did all that they could in defeating Sutton by 92 runs, making an imposing 269-8 after winning the toss, with opener Sam Barraclough setting the tone with 83 off 101 balls.

He was helped out by Cameron Knowles, whose 57 came off 38 deliveries and contained nine fours and a six.

Sachin Abraham was the most successful Sutton bowler with 4-29, and while his side got off to a bright start through Sam Solley (34) and Ollie Gledhill (40), they faded away.

Dom Mortimer (3-40) and Mohsan Gulbhar (4-45) completed a fine day for their side by helping to dismiss Sutton for 177.

Thornton-in-Craven, the least likely of the quartet to go down as they only need seven points at home to Cononley, lost by nine runs at Airedale, who made 217-8 after opting to bat.

Opener and keeper Alec Pue got his side off to a flyer with a run-a-ball 45, before Raja Mohammad Adnan hit 53 off 54 deliveries.

Thornton then ran out of time after closing on 208-7 in reply, Ijaz Shah taking 4-22 from his 12 overs.

Denholme made sure of their survival by defeating Ingrow by 72 runs at Keighley Road.

It was the Ben Burkill show in truth, as the Denholme opener made 129 not out from 135 balls.

His team only scored 212 after being sent in, but Burkill had led a dramatic recovery from 105-8, Aaron Pearce (4-58) and Toby Hartley (5-41) having caused the early issues.

Ingrow were then dismissed for 133, with Adam Taylor taking 3-37 and Usman Khakhel 4-10, only Sayeedul Alam (33) and Mo Chowdhory (35no) delaying the scorers for long.

Cononley were facing leaders Bowling Baptists at the Sports Ground, with the visitors clocking up 211-5.

The home side were then dismissed for 146, with the main contribution coming from Ihsanullah Daulatzia (33).

Ingrow (158 points), who are at home to already-relegated Hepworth & Idle II on Saturday, are in a four-way fight for survival with Cononley (162), Skipton CI (163) and Thornton-in-Craven (172), who host Cononley at the weekend, while CI entertain Silsden.

Cowling II have clinched promotion as runners-up in Division Three, and their rise has come from nowhere as they have finished ninth, seventh and eighth in the past three seasons.

Victory over relegated Bingley Congs III on Saturday was enough for them to clinch their place in the second tier.

Cowling were indebted to Haseeb Majid and Majid Iqbal with both bat and ball at Sandy Lane.

They were the only two players to score double figures - Majid making 19 and Iqbal 23 - in Cowling’s 71, and then Majid took 3-15 and Iqbal 2-0 as Congs were dismissed for 35 in 16 overs.

The main destroyer in that appalling Congs total was Ubaid Rauf, who took 5-14.

Cowling’s victory snuffed out the hopes of Silsden II, who lost anyway by 66 runs at seventh-placed Sutton II.

Sent in, Sutton made 196, which was largely down to Tommy Miller hitting 74 off 48 balls.

Tom Snowden (5-49) was instrumental with the ball, as Sutton collapsed from 180-4.

Hugh Sugden made a defiant 44 opening the batting for the Cobbydalers, but only two others reached double figures as they were dismissed for 128, Charlie Whitaker taking 3-26.

Keighley III, relegated after a poor season, conceded to Wilsden II, who thus survived.

The thirds were in action again the following day, suffering a thumping 143-run home defeat to now fourth-placed Gargrave II.

With Bowling Baptists II having finished their programme in Division Four, Skipton CI II can overtake them for second by gaining a minimum of six points at Haworth II.

CI made 142 after winning the toss at home to Long Lee II, recovering from 27-4 as Aqib Choudhry took 4-42 and Ben Stowell 3-14.

Long Lee were favourites at 125-6, but lost their last four wickets for 11 runs to leave CI winners by six runs, Ajmal Choudhry’s run out for 61 being crucial.

Glusburn II, best of the rest in a comfortable fourth place, were another side to declare - this time at 218-5 after 31 overs at Hepworth & Idle III, with Rafaqat Hussain (59) and Umar Dar (49) putting on 99 for the second wicket.

Tahir Mehmood sped the innings towards a declaration with 55 not out off 28 deliveries.

Hepworth & Idle were 61-5 after 19 overs when bad light stopped play, Dar having taken 4-15 in eight overs, and the game was therefore a rare draw.

Airedale II were comfortable winners by 127 runs at Menston V, opener Tim Crossley (55) and Chris Gill (57) doing well in their total of 190-9.

Menston were then rolled over for 63, with Paul Feather taking 5-28.

Denholme II lost by four wickets at Bowling Baptists II, Hussnain Ali (60) and Liam Clark (54) doing well in a top-heavy innings of 160-6.

Runs were spread more evenly in Bowling’s reply, and they won by two wickets after 33 overs, despite Hussnain Ali taking 3-21 and Ishaq Ali 3-39.