In the Upper Airedale Junior League’s CartaSport Under-11 Division, Skipton’s 59 runs scored were pegged back by the loss of nine wickets to give a total of 187-9.

Their opposition Silsden Eagles scored 57 but lost only two wickets in a more controlled performance, concluding on 241-2.

Silsden’s second string the Hawks copied their seniors and lost just one wicket while scoring 75 against Wilsden, 49 of those coming from the last two pairings after earlier watchfulness. Wilsden had earlier lost five wickets and scored 62 runs, posting 222-5.

The Ribblesdale derby was an opportunity for Settle to consolidate their place at the head of the league but it didn’t work out as they hoped.

Earby scored 54 runs for the loss of six wickets and the early outlook seemingly favoured Settle.

When Ryan Hewitt chipped in 21, Earby looked out for the count but the remainder of the Settle batsmen suffered wicket loss after wicket loss, with Benji Cocker taking 3-4. Settle ended on 195-8, having scored 59 but were defeated on wickets lost.

One of the other title-chasers, defending champions Oxenhope, took on the Dales Rams and their last pair added 29 to boost their tally to 262-2. The Rams suffered at the hands of ‘Test’ man Tom Addison (3-7) and ended well in arrears at 206-7.

At the ninth time of asking, Oakworth Sharks finally got a one in the win column with a hard-fought 30-run victory over Skipton.

Jordan McKnight led the batting line-up which lost just two wickets. Skipton’s reply was on course but again wicket loss proved decisive and 212-6 turned a 60-57 run advantage into defeat.

The Eagles from Silsden consolidated their position at the top with a 70-run win over Steeton.

A quality batting show from Glusburn, who made 139-2 against strugglers Haworth West End, gave little indication of what was to happen next in the Brook Taverner Under-13 League.

Three Glusburn players made 27 but Dominic Mortimer and Patrick Lee then proved almost unplayable and grabbed three wickets each as their young opponents collapsed to a new Taverner League low score of 8-8!

Just ahead of Glusburn, Oxenhope continued their title chase with 145-4 against champions Earby.

Under-12s skipper Lewis Hopkinson top-scored with 28 ahead of Josh Ferguson and Reece Webb-Foster, and the score might have been higher without 3-15 from Marcus Thornber. Luke Hipgrave and Kieron Mara gave Earby a great start but their challenge fell away at 99-5.

Leaders Oakworth came within a whisker of losing their unbeaten tag at sunny Pendle Forest. The Oaks’ 120-5 was anchored by Sam Nettleton’s 25 and helped by 24 extras.

Forest chased hard and skipper Connor Tattersall also registered 25. They reached the last over with a chance of turning over the Oaks but three wickets from Ben Wedge undermined them and they finished agonisingly one run adrift on 119-7.

Skipton journeyed up the Dales and rattled up 139-3. George Sutcliffe (28), Angus McCabe (26) and Josh Waind (26) were on top of their game as the Stags bowlers toiled. Their batsmen too toiled, although Lachlan Irvine-Hand did make 25 in 91-3.

Second-placed Oxenhope continue to hang onto the Oaks’ coat-tails and they too were impressive with 128-8 against relegation-threatened Wharfedale Stags. Callum Holmes smacked 28 but eight wickets fell, three to Joe Jackson.

With the bat, the Stags couldn’t free themselves from the Oxenhope shackles and they ended at 81-9. Mid-table Skipton and Pendle Forest met at Sandylands and Skipton posted a modest 73-8 (Angus McCabe 26). Forest triumphed by seven wickets in 13.4 overs, Liam Smalley leading the way with 18 to add to his 3-12.