Gargrave crowned champions two weeks from season finale

They put themselves an unassailable 45 points ahead of defending champions Riddlesden after a three-wicket victory at Haworth Road Meths.

The hosts won the toss but were restricted to 153, chiefly by Joe Wood and George Gregson, who both took 3-34.

Gargrave’s top four then all made double figures, Matt Simpson (58no) and Wood (21no) seeing them home with five overs to spare after 25 from opener Lee Barrett and 21 by John Beckwith.

Glusburn are sixth after a fine five-wicket victory at Grange Road against Eldwick & Gilstead, who made 160 after opting to bat, new-ball pair Irfan Khaliq (3-31) and Tamoor Munir (3-48) getting among the wickets.

Then opener Matt Lloyd batted through the reply, making an unbeaten 52, Munir completing an excellent match by scoring 55, while keeper Muhammad Hussnain chipped in with 25.

Bradley notched an important win at home to Cowling to keep resurgent Wilsden at bay.

Dave Hunt led the way with 59 off 41 deliveries, including five fours and five sixes, in the hosts’ 223-7, the Meynell brothers Toby (42) and Henry (26) weighing in alongside Akeel Rashid (48) as Martyn Dalby (3-49) pegged them back.

Junaid Gulnawaz made 62 off 68 balls in the reply, but lacked support, although Wasim Hussain scored 23 and Laiq Ur Rehman 25, Zain Naeem taking 4-62 and Vince Grant, the sixth bowler used, 2-10.

Silsden have been promoted alongside leaders Bowling Baptists in Division Two, but the destination of the title is still uncertain.

The Cobbydalers are 44 points ahead of third-placed Sutton, but are 15 points behind the Manningham club.

Silsden made certain of going into Division One with a five-wicket victory at Thornton-in-Craven, who made 156 after winning the toss.

Opener Scott Howarth-Hynes (44) and keeper James Mellin (25) put on 66 for the second wicket, and David Holt (34) and Jack Laycock (23no) also made useful runs, although they collapsed from 134-4 to Dom Mortimer (4-22), Bilal Mahmood (3-44) and Sam Barraclough (2-15).

Joshua Waind (47) then figured in partnerships of 31 and 37 in the reply, Jack Lister (30) and Rob Jones (52), who hit seven fours and two sixes, adding 81 for the fourth wicket as Silsden won in the 34th over, despite Laycock taking 3-26.

Sutton won by 50 runs at home to now relegated Hepworth & Idle II, making 204-8 after being sent in.

Sam Solley, batting in the middle order for a change, scored 70, including nine fours and three sixes, while No 9 Jack Whitaker hit seven fours and a six in his 56.

Sachin Abraham then returned the remarkable analysis of 11-1-7-6, taking four wickets in his second spell to hasten the Westfield Laners’ demise for 154.

Cononley won by 69 runs at Denholme, but are still not safe.

Opener Andrew Starkey had the galling experience of being dismissed for 99, adding 47 for the second wicket with Scott Brook (20), 41 for the third with Tom Feather (16) and 77 for the fourth with the reliable Colin Stead (30) as five of the top six reached double figures.

However, they did go from 196-4 to 197-8 before ending on 214.

Denholme were 143-7 but lost their last three wickets for just two runs as Zabihullah Kareemi took 3-28, Ikram Daulatzai 2-22 and Stead 2-23.

Skipton CI dropped into the second relegation place after yet another batting failure as they were toppled for 81 at Ingrow, with only three players reaching double figures - opener Connors Hall Brown (25), Darren Pighills (18) and Qamar Zulfiqar (16).

However, CI made Ingrow, who jumped above them, fight all the way before securing a two-wicket victory, and CI even looked likely winners when the hosts were 58-7 as Tanveer Hussain took 4-34 and Hall Brown 2-25.

Cowling II are in a promotion place in Division Three with a fortnight to go after a 43-run home win over Bradford & Bingley III.

Reyan Hassan Ali (92no) batted through Cowling’s innings of 183-7, hitting 13 fours, No 3 Haseeb Majid supporting him with 36.

The latter then bagged 3-38 as Bingley replied with 140, Awais Riaz taking 2-19 and Avjeet Ghosh 2-23.

Silsden II, 17 points behind Cowling in third, still have an outside chance of promotion after defeating visitors Wilsden II by 56 runs.

The top five for the Cobbydalers all made double figures in their 161-7, headed by opener Hugh Sugden (29) and Lewis Middleton (29no), who witnessed them collapsing from 108-2 to 128-7 before an unbroken stand of 33 between himself and loanee John Mortimer (7no).

Alex Nelson (4-31) and Tom Snowden (4-10) then put the skids under Wilsden’s reply of 105, the latter dropping into a demotion place.

Gargrave II are up to fifth after a comprehensive win over bottom-of-the-table visitors Keighley III.

The hosts were 8-2, however, before recovering to 222-4, opener Neil Fraser-Dibb (60) featuring in a partnership of 107 for the third wicket with keeper Dominic Ferneyhough, whose 106 not out came off 116 deliveries and contained 13 fours and a six.

Ferneyhough added 54 for the fourth wicket with Dom Kay (34) and 53 unbroken with Tom Storr (14no).

Nine-man Keighley were then castled for 95, with all five bowlers taking wickets, including Ben Wood (3-27) and Kieran Ashley (2-15).

Sutton II were walloped by Bingley Congs III at Sandy Lane, with the latter climbing out of a relegation place as a consequence.

Congs made 261-7 after being sent in, Will Tedder taking 2-21, and Sutton, who are one of four teams fighting to stay up, were then back in the pavilion for 78, with only opener Jack Middleton (18), his brother Ben (17) and captain Craig Thornton (11no) making double figures as Muhammad Haseeb Khan took 9-29.

Bradley II, who had a free week, still lead Division Four, being eight points ahead of Bowling Baptists II with a game in hand.

Skipton CI II, one of four teams with a chance of going up, won by seven wickets at home to Denholme II after dismissing them for 86, Matt Ryder (3-12) and Mozzam Khan (3-7) mopping up the tail.

Jonathan Sharpe (20no) then batted through the reply, which lasted 20.2 overs, being aided by Khan (25) and Jibin Jacob (19no).

Glusburn II are also in the hunt after a high-scoring tie at home to Ingrow II.

Opener Rafaqat Hussain (56) and No 3 Umar Dar (87) gave the hosts a strong start after they won the toss, and contributions also came from captain Mark Pickles (34), Amir Javed (21) and Sam Britton (35no) in their 260-6.

Ingrow also got runs up top, but needed 82 not out from No 10 Adam Hussain to rescue them, finishing on 260 all out as Pickles took 3-54 and Rafaqat Hussain 3-57.