YOU would think that it would be advantage bowlers after a wet spring, but both sides scored over 200 in three matches in the Timothy Taylor’s Craven League on Saturday.

The biggest aggregate was 430 at Silsden in Wynn Cup Group B.

Silsden won the toss and batted, but were 57-3 before the middle and lower order propelled them to 213-5 off their 40 overs against Hepworth & Idle.

Cameron Knowles (25) added 51 for the fourth wicket with Tom Greenwood (83no), who then put on 77 for the fifth with Mohsan Gulbhar (33), Greenwood’s runs coming off 88 balls and including 10 fours.

However, the Westfield Laners won by three wickets with 16 balls to spare, despite Gulbhar, Knowles and Robert Jones each taking two wickets.

Next best aggregate was the 428 at Cowling in Group A, where the home side made 223-6 after being sent in by Skipton CI.

Danish Hameed (70no) and Rahman Ali (84) were chiefly responsible for that total after Azhar Iqbal (2-24) had dismissed both openers, the sixth bowler used Darren Pighills returning the best figures with 3-43.

Ahsan Mahmood (41) and Muhammad Sabeel (61no) then wielded the willow to good effect, but they lacked support as CI finished on 205, Laiq Ur Rehman bagging 4-27.

The other instance of 200 plus for each team came in Group B, where home side Thornton-in-Craven totalled 203-7 after being sent in by Sutton.

After a terrible beginning, with four wickets going down cheaply as Caleb Gledhill (4-52) got to work, David Holt (92) and keeper James Mellin (55) pulled the innings round in splendid style.

However, tried and trusted openers David Snowden (34) and Sam Solley (80) got Sutton off to a flier and, aided by keeper Ollie Gledhill (39no) down the order, Sutton won by three wickets at the end of the 34th over.

Elsewhere in Group B, Gargrave triumphed at a canter at Cononley, who could only make 120 after being given first knock.

Cononley’s innings was in tatters at 41-6 before Zabihullah Kareemi, whose 53 not out came off only 22 balls and contained five fours and five sixes, added 60 for the seventh wicket with Colin Stead (20no).

George Beckwith (5-30), skipper Will Smith (3-21) and Ben Howlett (2-19) did the damage with the ball, Gargrave winning by eight wickets in the 24th over thanks to Matt Simpson (60no) and John Beckwith (36no), who put on 83 unbroken.

Simpson hit four fours and four sixes and Beckwith three fours and two sixes.

Glusburn’s match at Long Lee did not start, and neither did Bradley’s at Ingrow in Group A.

In the John Clayton Cup, which is also played over a maximum of 80 overs, there was plenty of tension in the air at Gargrave II, who dismissed Bowling Baptists II for 74 after winning the toss.

Opening bowlers Will Storr (4-18) and Ben Wood (2-19) put the skids under the Scotchman Road side’s innings, but the hosts were too reliant on opener Harry McEneaney (20) after tea.

But, despite him being the only player into double figures, Gargrave only lost by three runs, which given that they were 47-2 will have come as a massive disappointment.

A similar number of overall runs occurred at Silsden II, who scored 88 after winning the toss in a game that was switched from the Airedale Oval on Saturday to the Cobbydalers’ ground on Sunday.

Sam Barraclough (18), Finlay Nixon-Snowden (15) and Seth Wiseman (20) were the only three players in double figures for Silsden, but that feat was only matched by Airedale’s openers as they were castled for 63, Kieran Lawrence and Nixon-Snowden leading the way with 3-9 and 3-10 respectively.

CI II had to hold their nerve to beat Bradford & Bingley III at Sandylands, the Bees making 126-9 after being handed first knock.

Jibin Jacob (3-32) led the way for CI, but the home side were in trouble at 58-7, four batters having made ducks, when Mozzam Khan joined Bruce Woodhouse.

They proceeded to add 60, with Woodhouse being dismissed for 23 and Khan ending up on 45 not out as CI won by two wickets with eight balls to spare.

On the other side of the coin there were comfortable victories for Glusburn II and Sutton II.

Hepworth & Idle III elected to bat at Glusburn, but could not build on opener Glen Moore’s 21 and were dismissed for 64, with Rafaqat Hussain bagging 3-1 as the sixth bowler used.

Mark Johnston then played a captain’s knock of 34 not out as the hosts won by seven wickets in the 18th over.

Sutton made good use of winning the toss, dismissing visitors Denholme II for 69 in the 31st over, with the wickets being shared between Jack Middleton (3-9), Charlie Whitaker (4-14) and Laurence Powell (3-8).

Opener Stuart Tillotson (27no) then anchored the reply as Sutton won by eight wickets in the 21st over, Middleton (25) helping him add 42 for the first wicket.

Only two matches of the five scheduled in the T20 Cowling Cup got underway, with Bradley II and Cowling II emerging victorious.

Bradley, sent in by visitors Ingrow II, made 130-5, with Chris Kimberley (20), Mohammad Qadeer (31) and Luke Watson (48) the chief contributors, Watson hitting four fours and four sixes.

In reply, Ingrow made 104-7, Hamza Ayub returning 3-25.

Cowling II scored 97 after being sent in by Hepworth & Idle II at Westfield Lane, Haseeb Majid leading the way with a 30-ball 36.

H&I replied with 67 as Majid bagged 3-12 and sixth bowler used Sajid Shafait 3-3.