Leaders Oakworth fall short by one run

Barrowford won the toss and were indebted to a fourth-wicket partnership of 85 between Nick Burton (62) and Andrew Smith (41) for getting them to 219-9 in their overs.

A Mahmood (34) and 31 extras also played a part as Matt House took 4-52 and Gareth Marshall 3-23.

Oakworth lost both openers cheaply before Marshall (89) and Michael Scarborough put on 140 for the third wicket.

At 167-3 it was game on but the crucial wicket of Scarborough (66) fell at 201 and they reached the last ball needing four to win. But just two were scored and so Barrowford claimed the points.

Cullingworth and Haworth Road are joint second, with the Roydwood Terrace side at home to Thornton.

They saw the visitors make 177, the ageless Kevin Pollard leading the way with 53 and Jack Laycock adding 37 as Chris Welch took 3-17 and Graham Rankin 3-70.

The Cullingworth reply was rocking slightly at 110-6 before George Fletcher (46no) and Adie Powis (26no) saw them to the points with 15 balls to spare.

Meanwhile, Haworth Road were just over the hill at Haworth and built on an opening partnership of 130 by Mohammed Zahid (83) and Chris Griggs (53) to post a formidable 260, with Dan Trowers’ 5-57 the best bowling return.

The Bronte side were indebted to Jamie Rowell, who closed on 98 not out, together with Adie Parker 42 and Trowers 35 as they reached 228-6 in reply before the overs ran out, D Tariq taking 3-49.

Crossflatts are fourth after travelling to Foulridge and winning a low-scoring game by six wickets.

The Noyna side were knocked over for a modest 101, with the wickets shared among five bowlers. The Rhysworth Park outfit knocked off the runs for the loss of four wickets in 25 overs as opener R Ayub made 56.

Farhan Abbasi hit 74 and Wasim Hussain 34 to help Ingrow St John’s to 202 at Embsay, with Scott Robinson taking 3-32 and Duncan Ward 3-34.

The brittle Embsay batting could only muster 129 in reply as Mohammed Ibrahim claimed 5-46 off 14 overs. This leaves Embsay joint ninth with Bradley, just two points off the bottom two.

Bradley were at Bingley Congs and made 176-7, James Heseltine leading the way with 59 as Neil Copping and Aidy Dibb both finished with 3-65.

Steady batting led the Beckfoot Lane side to victory by four wickets as Tom Keighley made 40 and Chris Dibb 32.

Riddlesden moved top of Division Two after seeing off third-placed Glusburn by 110 runs as they cashed in on overnight leaders Cowling losing and then adding a Sunday victory.

Mohammed Shanawaz (48), S Mahmood (45) and M Qadeer (33) helped Riddlesden post 237-6 in their overs as Nick Williamson finished with 4-85.

The usually potent Park Field batting line-up fell apart in reply, with only Steve Brown (44) offering much resistance in a 127 total as Qadeer took 3-7 in seven overs.

Sunday saw Riddlesden run riot against nine-man Wilsden after smashing a massive 364-9.

Shanawaz top-scored with 78 and D Robinson (78), Z Abbas (62), Qadeer (37) and G Ayoub (36) joined in the carnage as Dave Hahn battled away gamely to finish with 6-121 off 19 overs.

The visitors were never in the hunt and were all out for 81, with Steve Wright scoring 24 not out as 17-year-old A Pearce took 4-21.

Cowling were at Denholme and they had an off day as they went down by 43 runs.

The Keighley Road side made 212-8, Richard Taylor top-scoring with 39 as Steve Richardson took 5-66. The visitors replied with 169 as Richardson made 39 against Matt Wear (3-27) and Tom Greenwood (3-38).

Sutton were indebted to two of their seasoned campaigners for snatching the points from Wilsden at Royd Hill.

Opener Chris Williams made 51 as his side chased 178-8 but the innings stuttered to 164-9.

At this point David Holdsworth (5no) joined Paul Williams, who finished 40 not out, to get their side over the line with just two balls to spare as Stuart Wilson took 5-80 and Dave Hahn 4-55.

In the visitors’ innings, Wilson had made 74 and skipper Steve Wright 34 not out as Holdsworth claimed 3-43.

The battle of the two second teams in the division went the way of Barrowford.

Oakworth batted first at Bull Holme and saw Nivard Trowers score a superb 126 not out to go with Steve Powell’s 38 as the total reached 229-7, with Marc Atkinson taking 4-84.

Barrowford stormed to a cracking six-wicket victory with eight overs to spare as Johnny Ormerod made 68 not out, backed up by Liam Roberts (55) and Tony Stafford (35).

Ingrow would have been confident of defending 195-5 against bottom side Airedale at Hainworth – but the visitors had other ideas, although it was a close-run thing.

Lee Humphreys top scored with 63, Alan Broadley made 48 and D Scott 36 not out in the home side’s innings.

In the successful reply, Matthew Cox made 92 as his team got over the line by one wicket off the penultimate ball.

Long Lee’s move away from the bottom two continued with a 54-run victory at Pendle Forest.

Richard Ayrton (59) and 29 extras were the top scorers in their 153, with Graham Coward taking 3-17 and Azmat Ali 3-17.

Shabaz Ahmed then bagged 6-32 to get the Fence side back in the hut for 99, of which Alex Summerscales made 40.

The table-topping Division Three clash between second-placed Wilsden II and pace-setters Chatburn at Royd Hill went the way of the home side as they moved into a share of the lead.

The hosts crashed a mammoth 237-9, with Jacob Jagger making 78 and Robert Greenwood 56 as John Lockley took 6-65.

In reply Neal Cartledge (51) and Dave Lakin (34) got the Ribble Valley side to 102-1 but from this point the innings disintegrated as nine wickets fell for just 32 runs, with Greenwood (4-30) and M Kayani (4-28) creating havoc.

Sandy Lane’s recent poor form continued with a one-wicket defeat at the hands of Crossflatts II at Rhysworth Park.

The Greenwood Park team made a modest 141, Mark Oldfield leading the way with 83 as Mick Addy took 5-43. G Cook (50) then led the successful reply as Luke Ellis took 4-44.

Gargrave made a healthy 220 at home to Cononley, John Beckwith top-scoring with 66 backed up by R Freeman (39), Steve Longley (34no) and R Taylor (34) as Willie Naylor claimed 5-56.

The free-flowing visitors’ batsmen made light work of the reply, winning by five wickets with three overs to spare. Tim Starkey made 62 and Andrew Starkey 56.

Steve Timperley hit 91 not out to get Eldwick & Gilstead to 186-7 at home to Haworth WE, for whom Charlie Shimmin took 4-39.

Then Arnie Raistrick took 7-57 to get the Bronte side back in the hut for 157, Corey Benfield top-scoring with 51 and Harry Sherlock making 34 not out.

Haworth Road II fell to a two-wicket defeat at the hands of Bradford & Bingley III at Baildon Bottom.

A low-scoring game saw the home side muster just 120 as Rehan Ahmed made 27, J Baxter taking 4-39, N Smith 3-42 and Dave Critchlow 3-11.

The Wagon Laners were made to work hard for the points and at 83-7 things were looking tricky, before a rapid 24 by Smith swung the game back their way and victory was achieved in the 37th over.

There were strange goings on at Street Lane, where visitors Embsay II declared their innings at 66-4 in the 14th over.

Several of their players had been hit by rearing balls, one retiring hurt.

After discussion amongst the senior players concerning their welfare and safety, it was decided to declare – especially in view of the number of junior players still to bat.

The Saints knocked off the runs in 16 overs, with Rafaqat Hussain making 35 as junior Tom Robinson took 3-9.

Skipton CI continue to dominate Division Four as their free-scoring batsmen rattled up 232-3 against Haworth II at Sandylands.

Sean Williamson made 73 not out, Martin Seward 61 and Paul Mason an unbeaten 41, before visitors Haworth replied with 121 as number eight Jacob Hudson made 43 against John Stuttard (5-60) and Williamson (3-10).

Cullingworth II are in second place, nine points adrift, after they held off a determined effort from Thornton II to win by just two runs.

John Terry and George Heartfield both scored 52 as the Roydwood Terrace side made 206-9.

The Booth Bridge Laners, led by Tim Gates (63) and Dan Oldfield (37), had reached 197-7 but then lost their last three wickets for just seven runs, including two run-outs.

Glusburn II are three points behind in third spot after a solid 71-run win over Riddlesden II at Park Field.

Paul McCullough top-scored with 49 as the home side posted 179, with Imran Mehban taking 5-43.

The Grange Road outfit could only muster 108 in reply as Danny Kernan made 32 and Steve Bailey 31, reviving them from 21-7 with a partnership of 68 for the eighth wicket against Bryan Hollis (6-27).

Long Lee II will want to forget about their game with Pendle Forest II at Golden View.

They had to chase leather as the Fence side smashed a mammoth 315-7, with Basit Ali run out on 99, Shabaz Ahmed making 91 and Ali Akbar 55. The hosts were then dismissed for 72 in the 19th over.

Bingley Congs II were too strong for Bradley II, winning by 77 runs at Matthews Lane.

The Beckfoot Lane side made a useful 211-8, led by R Andrews (77) and Charlie Raistrick (77) as junior Harry McGowan took 4-28 off 11 overs.

The hosts made a disastrous start to stand at 8-5. P Martin (40) and J Bedford (42) helped push the final score to 134, with Michael Baines taking 3-21 and Jonny Teale 3-34.

Alan Hayes took 7-23 for Airedale at home to Ingrow, who had Tony Crook (59) and Ben Pursey to thank for their 163-8.

Several of the home side’s batsmen got in but nobody was able to get past the 32 made by Paul Feather and the innings closed on 127, with a trio of bowlers taking three wickets apiece.

Oakworth III lead Division Five by a point following their 95-run win over Skipton CI II at Bronte Fields.

Ben Howell, aged 15, carried his bat with 72 not out and evergreen John Hollingsworth made 38 as the home side scored 172, with Sam Smith taking 3-33.

The visitors were in big trouble from the start, crashing to 1-5 at one point. Only A Drake with 29 offered much resistance before the innings closed on 77 as Jack Keighley, another 15-year-old, claimed 5-19 and Howell 3-14.

Denholme II are lurking a point behind the leaders. They travelled to Cowling II and shot them out for a paltry 36, with no batsman reaching double figures as Ian Spencer took 6-13 and Cameron Foster 4-14.

The visitors did not fare much better as they lost seven wickets reaching their target. Martin Armitage (11) was the only man to reach double figures in the game. Sajid Shafait (3-8) and Zahid Shafait (3-20) were the best bowlers.

Chatburn’s Ben Threlfall, returning from Whalley CC, played a big part in their eight-wicket victory over Foulridge in the Ribble Valley. He took 5-41 then scored 68 not out as the home side ran out easy winners.

Richard Saxby (56 and 7-32) helped Gargrave to victory by 80 runs over Cononley II at Skipton Road.

Finally there was a stunning bowling performance at Sandy Lane II, where A Grace took 9-76 to help his side to a narrow 13-run win over Sutton II.

Number eight M Waqas rescued the hosts’ innings with a timely knock of 48 which took the total to 140 as James Marshall claimed 6-61.

The key to victory was turned by Michael Dennison, who in his three overs nipped out M Allport for 81 and the innings quickly closed on 127.