BRADLEY have put themselves right in the mix for promotion from Division Two of the Mewies Solicitors Craven League.

Their three-wicket derby win at home to leaders Glusburn has put them on 130 points, just three behind now joint leaders Airedale and Glusburn.

Bradley put Glusburn in and the visitors made 152-8, collapsing from 52-1 to 66-5 before reviving.

Matt Lloyd (23) and Dave Henson (37) put on 33 for the first wicket before a combination of bowlers rifled through their middle order, Taimoor Mushtaq (14), Zahid Iqbal (25no) and Mark Johnston (17no), with the latter pair adding 36 unbroken, providing some tail-wagging.

Bradley were put on the road to victory by opener Dave Hunt (32) and keeper Iklaq Ahmed (50), who added 59 for the second wicket, but wickets then fell regularly before Bradley got over the line in the 33rd over.

Danny Ridehalgh caused a few flutters with his 4-43.

Skipton CI, who are only eight points above a demotion berth, dismissed visitors Airedale for 113, Connors Hall Brown taking 4-15 to trigger a mid-innings slump from 52-2 to 67-8.

However, only three CI players then made double figures as they were castled for 72 – Tanveer Hussain (10), Mozzam Khan (17) and Paul Mason (12no).

In Division Three, Cononley lost for the second week in a row, but it too early to say if they are again suffering from the summer blues.

They sent in Gargrave II at Cononley Sports Ground but were on the wrong end of the innings of the day, with Dom Kay making an astonishing 122 out of their 185 or 122 out of 164 while he was at the crease.

Kay, who came in at 21-4, which soon became 22-5, faced just 82 balls and hit 15 fours and five sixes, finding allies in Will Peryer (23), who helped him add 94 for the sixth wicket, and Dieter Kayley (10), with whom he added 56 for the seventh wicket.

They were the only two other players to reach double figures as Harry Parker (5-44) and Willie Naylor (3-41) did the early damage.

Six Cononley players made double figures in the reply, but no-one got more than Andrew Starkey’s 25 as they were dismissed for 131, with Kayley taking 4-21, Kay 3-24 and Ben Wood 2-37.

However, Cononley are still second, but now only 20 points ahead of Gargrave II.

Bingley Congs III are fourth after winning a tight contest at Cowling II by six runs.

Congs, sent in, made 192-8, with Sajid Shafait (3-44) and Ubaid Rauf (2-41) among the wickets.

Cowling were then dismissed for 186, which was tough luck on Mohammed Abdullah Iqbal (73) and Haseeb Majid (33).

Glusburn II are up to third in Division Four after an eight-wicket home win over Hepworth & Idle III, who made 122 after being sent in, a shutter of wickets falling after they were 108-2.

Qasim Dar (5-23) and Amir Javed (4-22) were responsible for the collapse, but Glusburn were then 10-2 themselves after tea.

However, an unbroken stand of 113 took them to victory, with Sam Britten ending on 43 not out and Basharat Hussain 64 not out.

Britten hit six fours and a six, and Hussain 11 fours as they closed in on Sutton II (132) and Bowling Baptist II (115), who they trail by just eight points.

In other news, the Craven & District Cricket League are looking for new title sponsors.

Skipton-based solicitors Mewies, long-term backers of the league, are standing down at the end of this season after some 20 years’ service.

The league are seeking a four-figure sum, and interested parties should contact league secretary Peter Foster by email on craven.cricketleague@gmail.com