After the rain of Saturday Cononley put a lot of work into getting their ground fit the Cowling Cup Final on Sunday.

The ground looked a picture and credit must go to the ground staff for their efforts.

Barrowford won the toss and asked Embsay to bat on a damp track. The openers took their time to come to grips with the wicket and against some tidy bowling had reached 30 in the 13th when Simon Holt was caught and bowled by Nigel Jones for 19.

The Bull Holme skipper had been very imaginative opening with slow bowler Jones who was only collared in his last two overs. Andy Hodgson joined father Brian and the pair took the score to 115 where the latter perished for a fine 49 which included two sixes and seven fours. Wally Robertson added a quick 25 and Andy Hodgson was caught in the deep for a fine 59.

In a frenetic run chase the score reached 193-7 at the close of 45 overs. One abiding memory being a splendid catch by youngster Mark Atkinson, out in the deep, to see off John Metcalfe. Nick Burton was the best bowler with 3-44 off ten overs.

If the Bull Holme side were not to suffer the fate of their first team in the Wynn Cup, it was imperative that they got off to a good start. This was not to be as with the score on 11, Jones went for four, in the tenth over, lbw to spinner Simon Holt - the Embsay skipper also recognising the virtues of having a slow bowler on early.

More problems quickly arrived as three more wickets tumbled for the addition of only five runs. The last one being that of skipper Nigel Hargreaves who ran himself out to a brilliant piece of fielding by his opposite number Alan Robinson who hit the stumps direct.

David Wilkinson was next to go with the score on 44, a third victim for Holt who finished his 12 over spell having conceded only 14 runs. Granville Thompson offered some token resistance, scoring 32 before being beaten for pace by John Metcalfe, a fate also suffered by Stuart Barnes. The end was inevitable as Andy Hodgson and Matthew Carr wrapped up the tail to leave the white rose side the victors by 95 runs.

At the presentation the Cononley club was thanked for their splendid efforts. Also The Copy Shop for sponsoring the match. League secretary Ann Coe presented the trophies to the two teams.

Umpires Paul Murgatroyd and Rex Phillips deliberated long and hard before awarding the Willis Walker man of the match trophy to Simon Holt for his excellent spell of bowling together with his watchful innings at the beginning, and some fine fielding.

Embsay 193-7

Barrowford 98

Embsay: B Hodgson lbw Thompson 49, S Holt c&b Jones 19, A Hodgson c Hargreaves b Hakin 59, W Robertson c Thompson b Burton 28, M Carr b Hakin 5, D Barratt b Burton 1, Dk Robinson 0no. extras 16 Total 193-7. Bowling: Hakin 11-2-32-2, Jones 12-2-37-1, Berry 3-0-18-0, Thompson 7-0-36-1, Burton 10-0-44-3, Atkinson 2-0-21-0.

Barrowford: N Jones lbw Holt 4, D Wilkinson c Barratt b Holt 12, N Burton c Dk Robinson b Robson 0, N Hargreaves run out 0, K Parkinson c Robertson b Holt 1, G Thompson b Metcalfe 32, S Barnes b Metcalfe 9, P Hakin c Holt b A Hodgson 10, M Atkinson b A Hodgson 6, M Berry b Carr 12, M Jackson 2 no, extras 10 Total 98

Bowling: Robson 12-4-17-2, Metcalfe 12-1-31-2, Holt 12-4-14-2, A Hodgson 4.4-1-20-2, M Carr 1-0-5-1.