GARGRAVE have condemned Haworth to relegation from Timothy Taylor’s Craven League Division One while improving their own chances of winning the title.

Haworth won the toss at West Lane and made a decent score of 195-3 as spinners Will Smith and Matthew Simpson kept the run rate down.

Then Simpson wielded the willow, scoring 59 off 42 balls, including six fours and four sixes as the visitors won by five wickets in the 34th over.

He was helped by Dave Harrop (58 not out off 48 deliveries, including nine fours and a six) and Chris Lambert (27no), who added 62 unbroken.

Gargrave need a maximum of two wins from their final three matches to take the silverware, but even one win plus bonus points from defeats might be enough, althoiugh their run-in could be challenging as they face Haworth Road Meths and Eldwick & Gilstead.

Cowling’s challenge has faded as they have lost four of their last five matches to drop to sixth, their latest setback coming at home to resurgent Wilsden.

Sent in by the visitors, Cowling were back in the pavilion inside 31 overs having made just 78, with only Wasim Hussain (15), Danish Hameed (21) and Mohammad Ishaq (10no) reaching double figures.

Wilsden knocked off the runs in the 16th over for the loss of three wickets, making it three wins in succession, giving themselves hope of avoiding relegation, and they host Haworth next.

Glusburn, who are seventh, became the latest victims of Hepworth & Idle after making 187.

The hosts were 37-3 after being sent in, but partnerships of 40, 35 and 46 in the middle order helped them revive, chiefly because of Abrar Sarwar.

He hit 16 fours in his 85, made off 93 deliveries, and was backed up by Umar Farooq (21) and Tamoor Munir (27).

The Westfield Laners were 27-4 after tea but partnerships of 90 and 63 unbroken took them to a five-wicket win in the 40th over as they climbed from third to second.

Wilsden’s revival could have Bradley looking nervously over their shoulders as the gap between them is now only 24 points, with Bradley one place above a demotion berth, although the latter’s run-in is not the hardest.

Bradley sent Riddlesden in at Grange Road and saw them make 264-9, Iklaq Ahmed (2-19) and Vince Grant (2-11) being the best of seven bowlers used.

The visitors were tottering at 15-3 but partnerships of 38, 48 and 40 helped them to a respectable 196, thanks to opener Jim Tate (30) and Akeel Rashid, whose 94 came off 73 balls and contained 11 fours and five sixes.

There was a top-of-the-table battle in Division Two, and second-placed Silsden’s defeat of leaders Bowling Baptists - their first loss of the season - has put the destination of the silverware back in doubt.

Hosts Silsden won the toss and batted, which looked like a mistake when they were 68-6, despite Cameron Knowles scoring 36.

However, the Cobbydalers had the men for the moment in Rob Jones (69) and captain Jack Roberts (68), who put on 133 for the seventh wicket to help boost the score to 219, although there was a collapse from 202-6.

Baptists were then dismissed for 126, Will Pullen running through the tail to finish with 5-19.

The gap between the two is now only 15 points with three matches left.

Third-placed Sutton, who are 44 points behind the Manningham side, were the latest team to take advantage of Skipton CI’s flaky batting.

The Sandylanders, who were at home, won the toss but were back in the pavilion in 22.1 overs with just 46 on the board, with only opener Connors Hall Brown (10) and skipper Danny Smith (16) reaching double figures.

Three Sutton bowlers shared the wickets, with Richard Walker bagging 4-28, Sachin Abraham 3-7 and Aneesh Babu 3-9.

Skipper Dave Snowden then saw Sutton to a seven-wicket win inside 11 overs by scoring 28 not out, Sam Solley (13) helping him to break the back of that small target in an opening stand of 30 as CI suffered their fourth straight defeat.

Thornton-in-Craven, who are fifth, two places above CI, were also beaten - by battling Hepworth & Idle II at Westfield Lane.

Sent in, the visitors were indebted to James Mellin (20) and keeper Jonny Martin (43), who put on 62 for the fourth wicket before Ian Holden took charge, hitting 54 not out from 58 deliveries, including 10 fours, as the total was boosted to 180.

Hepworth & Idle had a major wobble, going from 103-2 to 107-5, but an unbroken stand of 67 then swept them to a five-wicket win in the 43rd over, Holden being the best of the bowlers with 2-16.

Assuming that Hepworth & Idle II are going down, and they are 36 points adrift, the battle to avoid the other demotion berth is very tight, with CI on 139 points, Cononley on 137 and Ingrow, who are at home to CI on Saturday, 136.

Ingrow easily saw off Cononley on Saturday at the Sports Ground, making 222-8 after being sent in, Scott Brook taking 4-80.

Brook (10) was then one of only three players to reach double figures, the others being Nathan Parker (11) and captain Harry Parker (41no at No 8), as Cononley were skittled for 70 in 26.1 overs, although that was a recovery from 26-7.

Silsden may have to put their hopes for a double promotion on hold as their second XI dropped from second to third in Division Three after a poor display at Gargrave II.

The Cobbydalers only made 76 after being asked to bat, with Finlay Nixon-Snowden easily the best of four players in double figures with 31 as Dom kay (4-13), Kieran Ashley (3-10) and Will Storr (2-7) cashed in.

Sixth-placed Gargrave then won by seven wickets in the 22nd over as Kay completed a fine match by scoring 32 not out.

Cowling II are in the other promotion berth behind Long Lee after a nicely-timed five-wicket win at seventh-placed Sutton II, who made 155-7 after being sent in.

Captain Rob Tedder led by example, scoring 67 off 87 balls, including seven fours and two sixes, and adding 70 for the fifth wicket with Will Tedder (26) as Ubaid Rauf took 3-30 and Haseeb Majid 2-23.

Cowling were 21-2 but solid contributions from keeper Junaid Majid (23), Reyan Hassan Ali (25) and particularly captain Sajid Shafait (35no) and Rauf (23no), who put on 89 unbroken, took them home with two overs to spare.

Harry Andrews had a red-letter day for Division Four leaders Bradley II at home to Long Lee II.

He scored 143 off just 114 balls, including an impressive 16 fours and nine sixes, as they made 235-1 after being sent in.

Fellow opener Chris Kimberley finished on 57 not out and Nasar Riaz 17 not out, and Long Lee were then rolled over for 111, with the wickets being shared between Hamza Ayub (5-20), Luke Watson (3-23) and Charlie Andrews (2-40).

Skipton CI II had a free date and dropped from second to third, albeit they now have a game in hand on Bowling Baptists II, who are only seven points ahead.

Glusburn II, who are fourth, had only one alarm at Denholme II, making 162-9 after winning the toss.

Javed Akram (24) and Rafaqat Hussain (49) put on 72 for the first wicket, and Umar Dar (20) and captain Mark Pickles (22) then helped to swell the total to 162-9.

Pickles then took 5-13 and Ikram Ahmed 2-23 as Denholme were toppled for 97, although they had been 62-2.