Skipton Church Institute win big to set up promotion clash

The Sandylanders, who gained maximum points last weekend by thrashing bottom-of-the-table visitors Hepworth & Idle II, are at second-placed Silsden, who are 26 points ahead of CI with 10 matches remaining.

The latter racked up an impressive 302-6 after winning the toss.

Opener Connors Hall Brown and Ahsan Mahmood put on 147 for the third wicket, with Hall Brown scoring 64 off 77 balls.

Mahmood went on to make 94 off just 57 balls, which contained 13 fours and four sixes, and the momentum was continued by Wahid Mehmood, who blasted a rapid 79 not out.

Mahmood (4-30) then showed his all-round qualities as the Westfield Laners were rolled over for 115, giving CI a 187-run victory.

Silsden won a more competitive match at Sutton by 33 runs, making 219-9 after being sent in.

Keeper Tom Greenwood (60) provided the backbone of their innings, which was kept in check by Ben Middleton, 18 next month, who cleaned up the tail by taking 4-29 in 12 overs.

Sutton started well, with wicketkeeper Sam Solley scoring 31 and Tommy Miller backing up his 2-20 by scoring 36.

Sutton's Sam Solley got his side off to a bright start but they could not reel in Silsden's total. (Image: Phil Jackson.)

Then Sachin Abraham hit 46 at No.8, but Sutton could only total 186 as Will Pullen took 3-52 and Bilal Mahmood managed 3-34.

Thornton-in-Craven had a batting failure at home to Airedale, being dismissed for 95 inside 26 overs, Jonny Martin (42) scoring nearly half those.

Airedale chased that down with ease, winning by six wickets in 17.4 overs.

Cononley, promoted last season as runners-up, are in danger of going straight back down.

They were at Bowling Baptists and sent the leaders in, who made 243-9.

After tea, only Andrew Starkey shone with the bat, making 46, as they were dismissed for 90.

With Airedale winning, Cononley have now dropped into a relegation place, six points behind third-from-bottom Denholme.

Meanwhile, in Division One, Gargrave have a 30-point lead at the top after an easy nine-wicket win over struggling visitors Glusburn, who dropped from seventh to eighth.

Sent in, Glusburn were toppled for 112, with Abrar Sarwar (28) leading the way, as Joe Wood put them on the back foot by taking 4-22 in his 12 overs.

Gargrave then triumphed in 18.5 overs, Bradley Gardener (36no) and Lee Barrett (45) setting the tone with an opening partnership of 80.

Cowling slipped from third to fourth after a three-wicket setback at Riddlesden, who dismissed the visitors for 149 after winning the toss.

No.7 Mirza Rafaqat Ali gave the innings late impetus with 55 off 46 balls, before Junaid Gulnawaz (3-47) and Ubaid Rauf (2-12) then made life difficult for Riddlesden, but not difficult enough.

Bradley remain sixth, despite a dominant display at home to Haworth.

The Brontelanders won the toss, but were back in the pavilion for 92 as Iklaq Ahmed (4-25) and Mohammed Qadeer (3-12) ran riot.

Ahmed (28no) then took over with the bat, putting on 55 for the third wicket with Akeel Rashid (31), as Bradley won by seven wickets inside 18 overs.

In Division Three, Cowling II and Silsden II made leaders Long Lee pay for a second defeat of the season, leapfrogging them into first and second after easy afternoons.

Cowling were at home to Bingley Congs III and sent them packing for 85 after they chose to bat, using only two bowlers - the outstanding Majid Iqbal (7-40) and Haseeb Majid (3-41) - in an innings of 21.3 overs.

Majid then made 49 not out as Cowling won by eight wickets in 16.5 overs.

Finlay Nixon-Snowden (3-16 and 33) played a key role for Silsden II as they won by six wickets at home to Sutton II.

Sent in, Sutton collapsed from 54-3 to 100 all out, but 14-year-old Will Tedder (24) made his mark.

Joshua Jordan weighed in with 3-37, and Silsden then had contributions down the line as they won by six wickets inside 24 overs, ensuring Sutton dropped a place to fifth.

Gargrave II had a similarly tough afternoon, making 97 at Menston IV after being sent in, keeper Dominic Fernyhough (27) topping the quartet in double figures.

Menston were 53-5 and the match was then in the balance until an unbroken partnership of 48 took them home in 23.3 overs, with Gargrave slipping one spot to seventh.

Bradley II, Glusburn II and Skipton CI II occupy the top three places in Division Four, with Bradley and Glusburn having dominant matches as CI sat the day out due to an odd number of teams in the division.

Haworth II were sent in by Bradley at West Lane and recovered from 66-6 to make 115, with Charlie Andrews (3-39) and Luke Watson (3-35) taking the bulk of the wickets.

Harry Andrews then gave the definition of dominating an innings, finishing on 102 not out off just 56 balls, as Bradley sped to an eight-wicket victory in 12.3 overs.

Glusburn scored 248 at home to Hepworth & Idle III as they went second.

Opener Rafaqat Hussain made 55, while captain Mark Pickles scored 38, the pair of them putting on 62 for the third wicket.

Steve Poole (3-16) and Tahir Mehmood (3-17) were then instrumental as Hepworth & Idle were dismissed for 66, giving Glusburn a 182-run victory.