Cowling claim shock promotion as Silsden can still win title

Their rise has come from nowhere as they have finished ninth, seventh and eighth in the past three seasons.

However, victory over relegated Bingley Congs III has clinched their place in the second tier.

Cowling were indebted to Haseeb Majid and Majid Iqbal with both bat and ball at Sandy Lane.

They were the only two players to score double figures - Majid making 19 and Iqbal 23 - in Cowling’s 71, and then Majid took 3-15 and Iqbal 2-0 as Congs were dismissed for 35 in 16 overs, Ubaid Rauf (5-14) taking the other wickets.

Cowling’s victory snuffed out the hopes of Silsden II, who lost anyway by 66 runs at seventh-placed Sutton II.

Sent in, Sutton made 196, which was largely down to Tommy Miller hitting 74 off 48 balls, including five fours and four sixes.

Laurence Powell (43 off 44 deliveries) helped him add 93 for the fifth wicket after Jack Middleton (21) had put on 40 for the second with captain Craig Thornton (25), Tom Snowden (5-49) being instrumental in the collapse from 180-4.

Hugh Sugden made a defiant 44 opening the batting for the Cobbydalers, but only two others reached double figures as they were dismissed for 128, having been 85-3, Charlie Whitaker taking 3-26.

Fifth-placed Gargrave II were no match for Menston IV at Keighley Road, who overtook both Bradford & Bingley III and Gargrave to climb to fourth.

Menston made 189-8 after winning the toss, Dom Kay bagging 4-44, but Gargrave were then castled for just 75, Billy Davis (18) being the best of four players to reach double figures.

The seconds had a better day on the Sunday, thrashing relegated Keighley III by 143 runs to reclaim fourth spot.

Gargrave’s first XI, with the Division One title safely in the bag, lost only their third game of the campaign - by 55 runs at Glusburn, who climbed one place to fifth as a result.

The hosts won the toss and Dipesh Mistry (60) and Simon Frost (33) put on 82 for the second wicket in their 219-9.

Abrar Sarwar (39) then added 47 for the seventh with Umar Farooq (13) before Irfan Khaliq (24 not out) and Mark Johnston (11no) twisted the knife with an unbroken last-wicket stand of 35.

Dieter Kayley (4-45) and Will Smith (3-58) got among the wickets, but only Smith really figured with the bat after tea, scoring 69 as Gargrave were dismissed for 164.

That, however, was a big improvement on 50-6 as the wickets were shared between Khaliq (3-21), Sarwar (2-19), Danny Ridehalgh (2-33) and Farooq (2-28).  

Mid-table Cowling are the latest side to be beaten by second-placed Riddlesden, with the visitors making 181 after winning the toss, Junaid Gulnawaz (4-39) and Laiq Ur Rehman (3-29) getting in the wickets.

Cowling were in with a sniff at 135-6 after Martyn Dalby (42) had put on 61 for the fourth wicket with Danish Hameed (19), but they lost their last four wickets for just six runs.

Martyn Dalby's fellow batsmen failed to back him up in Cowling's defeat to Riddlesden. (Image: Bob Smith.)

Bradley are not quite safe after handing hosts Haworth only their second win of the season.

Zain Naeem and Zafar Iqbal each took three wickets in Haworth’s 243-9, but had contrasting figures, with Naeem taking 3-15 off eight overs and Iqbal 3-53 off just 4.4 overs.

The visitors only had four players in double figures in their reply of 84, headed by Jim Tate (23), but they need just four points at Haworth Road Meths on Saturday to stay up.

The battle for the Division Two championship will go to the last Saturday, with Bowling Baptists, who are 15 points ahead, at home to Denholme, while second-placed Silsden are at Skipton CI, who are one of four sides who might go down alongside Hepworth & Idle II.

Silsden did all that they could in defeating Sutton by 92 runs, making an imposing 269-8 after winning the toss, with opener Sam Barraclough setting the tone with 83 off 101 balls, including 14 fours and a six.

He was helped out by Cameron Knowles, whose 57 came off 38 deliveries and contained nine fours and a six.

Sachin Abraham was the most successful Sutton bowler with 4-29, and they made a bright start after tea, with skipper Dave Snowden (21) and Sam Solley (34) adding 51.

Ollie Gledhill (40) then weighed in, as did Abraham with 21, but Dom Mortimer (3-40) and Mohsan Gulbhar (4-45) helped dismiss Sutton for 177.

Thornton-in-Craven, the least likely of the quartet to go down as they only need seven points at home to Cononley, lost by nine runs at Airedale, who made 217-8 after opting to bat, Rob Cockell taking 3-42.

Opener Scott Howarth-Hynes, who scored 61 off 65 balls, hitting four fours, put the visitors back in the picture with a partnership of 71 for the third wicket with David Holt (38), while Chris Bowker (42) also got in the runs, but they ran out of overs when they were 208-7.

Cononley were facing leaders Bowling Baptists at the Sports Ground, with the visitors clocking up 211-5.

The home side were then dismissed for 146, the main contribution coming from Ihsanullah Daulatzia (33).

Skipton CI hauled themselves out of a relegation place by cashing in with a much-needed maximum points win at Hepworth & Idle II, even declaring at 240-6 after 36 overs.

Sam Smith (56), Muhammad Sabeel (57) and captain Danny Smith (44no) all made valuable contributions to the total.

The hosts were 83-3 but a shutter of wickets to Azhar Iqbal (3-23) and Tariq Ghani (4-36) meant that they lost their last seven for 30 runs.  

Bradley II made very short work of visitors Haworth II in Division Four.

The leaders skittled them for just 27 in 16.4 overs, with opener Stephen Bell scoring 21 of those, with eight of his team-mates recording ducks.

Charlie Andrews was the main beneficiary with remarkable figures of 7-9 from his 8.4 overs.

Bradley knocked off the runs without loss in just six overs, but still need 14 points to be sure of the championship at Long Lee II on Saturday.

With Bowling Baptists II having finished their programme, Skipton CI II can overtake them for second by gaining a minimum of six points at Haworth II.

CI made 142 after winning the toss at home to Long Lee II, Jibin Jacob starring with 52 and adding 51 as they recovered from 27-4.

Long Lee were favourites at 125-6, but lost their last four wickets for 11 runs to leave CI winners by six runs as Iqbal took 3-20 and Jacob claimed 3-27.

Glusburn II, best of the rest in a comfortable fourth place, were another side to declare - this time at 218-5 after 31 overs at Hepworth & Idle III, with Rafaqat Hussain (59) and Umar Dar (49) putting on 99 for the second wicket.

Tahir Mehmood sped the innings towards a declaration with 55 not out off 28 deliveries, including eight fours and two sixes.

Hepworth & Idle were 61-5 after 19 overs when bad light stopped play, Dar having taken 4-15 in eight overs.