In the Aire-Wharfe Cricket League Silsden needed 18 to win off the last over in their home match against Guiseley in Division A and ended with 17 to tie the match, totalling 215-8 in reply to 215-9.

Desperating needing points the fourth from bottom South Craveners won the toss and fielded which did not pay off as Guiseley's batters reached an impressive total.

Barry McCormick smashing 35 off 39 balls got them off to a good start and Silsden's bowlers were not up to the usual standard which has won them the majority of their points this season.

Adrian Emmott struggled early against the hard hitting McCormick, finishing with figures of 11-3-40-0.

Andy Pullen bowled two spells and ended with 5-78 off 19 overs, five maidens, most of the runs being boundary hits and Mark Akrigg was the most economical bowler of the day having 4-62 off 19 overs, two maidens. Andy Knowles struggled having 0-18 off one over.

Silsden's batters had to get their side points and aimed firstly at 165 to get three-quarters of Guiseley's score to give them two. And at 62-3 off 25 overs 165 looked just in their reach. Captain John Akrigg was caught on the boundary edge for 65 with the score on 100 which meant that Pullen had only 16 overs alongside David Bainbridge who was on 10.

And with some excellent hard hitting and superb fast running between the wickets the Cobbydalers reached 172-4 with only six overs left to try to get near 215-8.

And those six overs were possibly the most exciting this season. Bainbridge was dismissed on 47, three short of his first 50 this season with score on 179 - his contribution to the first team has been more than impressive with 200 runs in eight innings.

Pullen who was striking the ball with eloquent ease was bowled four balls later also for 47 off 46 balls. Andrew Waggett scored a quick seven off five balls before being bowled by R Whitaker trying to hit over the top, the score then being 191-8 with 14 balls left.

Brothers Hugh and Tim Sugden scrambled six off the penultimate over which brought the day's play down to the last over with 17 to tie and 18 to win.

Hugh Sugden smashed the first ball straight into the football field and then smashed the second through mid-wicket on the floor for it to be saved on the edge for two runs.

Third ball he was stumped by S Thompson which meant Mark Akrigg was in for the last three balls.

He then got a leg bye to leave Tim Sugden on strike and the next ball went straight into the 18-yard box in the football field for a massive six. The last was a good ball from Whitaker which Sugden could only push towards square-leg and he and Akrigg scampered the first run and then Sugden was turning to complete the second with the wicket-keeper running frantically with the ball in hand to try to run him out. Sugden dived eight feet from the line and Thompson smashed the wicket but Sugden had made it to tie the match.

The Guiseley bowling figures were Whitaker 14-0-83-3, A Threapleton 13-3-41-2, McCormick 5-0-27-1, N Allitt 14-3-52-1 and A Paley 4-4-0-0.

Guiseley: B McCormick c H Sugden b Pullen 35; I Colquhoun c Pullen b M Akrigg 28; G Taylor b M Akrigg 45; S Thompson b M Akrigg 41; D Brady c H Sugden b Pullen 1; N Allitt b Pullen 8; C Cooper b M Akrigg 1; D Thompson lbw Pullen 29; R Whitaker c Bainbridge b Pullen 7; A Threapleton not out 2; A Paley not out 0; extras 18; total (for 9) 215.

Silsden: A Knowles c McCormick b Allitt 4; J Akrigg c Allitt b Whitaker 65; D Jackson b Threapleton 6; S Collins st Thompson b Threapleton 3; D Bainbridge b McCormick 47; A Pullen b McCormick 47; H Sugden st Thompson b Whitaker 10; A Waggett b Whitaker 7; T Sugden not out 13; M Akrigg not out 0; extras 12; total (for 8) 215.

Steeton went down by two wickets away to Beckwithshaw in Division A. They were all out for 146, Stuart Hudson scoring 40 and Neil Spragg 29, and Beckwithshaw won with 149-8, R Wilkins getting 40 and S Barker 29.

Guy Saxton took 3-49 for Steeton and J Pridmore 5-58 for Beckwithshaw.

An unbroken stand of 150 in two hours by captain Chris Gott and Mark Whitaker saw Skipton to a nine-wicket home victory over Tong Park in Division B.

Gott hit 84 not out and Whitaker 60 not out as Skipton won with 171-1 in reply to 170.

Steve Young took 3-42 and Mick Scott 3-50 for the winners and S Battock hit 65 for the losers.

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