MICHAEL Scarborough only took two wickets at Haworth Road Meths in the Mewies Solicitors Craven League First Division – but they were precious ones.

They took him to 1,001 league wickets as he became only the third person to four figures, following Ian Robson (Embsay) and Mark Paxton (Thornton-in-Craven).

However, it is believed that the all-rounder has become the first to the league double of 10,000 runs and 1,000 wickets.

Scarborough took 2-24 from ten overs, causing Will Burgess to chop on and having wicket-keeper Tim Walsh take an excellent diving one-handed catch to dismiss Dil Nawaz.

Meths were confined to 156, Ben Howell taking 4-32 and Jack Davison 2-32, and the leaders breezed home for the loss of two wickets in 30.1 overs as Joel Gallagher (41) and Gareth Marshall (75) put on 116 for the first wicket.

Defending champions Ingrow St John's reached the finishing line in only 28.1 overs as home side Foulridge fell by five wickets after change bowlers Nadeem Zaman (5-45) and Wasim Hussain (4-39) triggered a collapse from 53-1 to 126 all out, Imran Zaman then making 49 not out and Farhan Abbasi 31.

Saints are three points behind, and Crossflatts and Bingley Congs are a further three points adrift after Congs won their derby at Ryshworth Park.

Matt Roberts (5-39) and Harry Greenhalgh (3-15) again bowled well in tandem as the hosts were dismissed for 101 after Congs' batsmen had chipped in on their way to 234-9, Andy Blackburn (41), a new signing from Sandy Lane, and Josh Nutting (40) leading the way as the dependable Jim O'Hara took 5-74.

Haworth were 68-7 at Embsay, only to be rescued by skipper Damian Rowell (86no) and No 10 Jamie Rowell (22) but it was still not enough as their 187-9 was well short of Embsay's 258-3, no Haworth bowler establishing control.

Riddlesden made a better fist of things at Barrowford but lost a tight match by two wickets, despite the efforts of Mohammad Shahnawaz (42), Mohammed Zulfiqar (3-25) and Amjid Hussain (3-42).

Justin Holdsworth took 5-44 as Chatburn were dismissed for 149 but Sutton only had three men in double figures as they replied with 87, bringing the teams level on 11 points, just ahead of basement boys Foulridge.

If ever Gargrave realised that the runes are aligned against them, it came at Second Division leaders Oakworth.

Gargrave made 241-5, opener Jonah Smith carrying his bat for 95 but Oaks' second string won by two wickets with four balls to spare, Richard Cavender hitting 81, Matty Lee 46 and Ben Fothergill 38.

Second-placed Denholme had a relatively easy afternoon, only batting for 22 overs as they won by six wickets at home to Ingrow, who were shot out for 104 as Jack Harrison took 4-19 and and Matty Wear 3-32, opener Adam Taylor then hitting an unbeaten 43.

Meanwhile, Glusburn maintained their promotion push with an easy five-wicket victory at home to Wilsden.

Nick Williamson took 3-55 in Wilsden's 207-9, of which Stuart Wilson made 53 and Colin Bottomley 45, and that target was passed in just 37.4 overs as James Tillotson scored 53, skipper Steve Brown 42 and wicket-keeper Neil Freeman 36.

Shahid Hassan (5-8) and Banaras Hussain (4-22) ran through the Thornton-in-Craven batting to dismiss them for 80, and fellow promotion contenders Cowling won by six wickets, with Hassan making 34 and Ajmal Choudhry 31 not out.

One of the most exciting matches of the day was undoubtedly at Airedale, who made 250-6, with Nick Ahad striking 19 fours and two sixes in his 110 and Paul Feather making 53 not out as they recovered from 65-4 with an 111-run partnership.

Matt Taylor led the reply for Long Lee with 15 fours and two sixes in his 116 but they fell just short on 248-9 as wicket-keeper and opener Mark Day (49) helped him add 117 for the third wicket, Mohammed Qadeer Hanif taking 4-62 and Lee Rickaby 4-63.

Third-from-bottom Bradley are not out of the woods after their 12-run defeat at home to Hepworth & Idle, who thus sent Gargrave to the bottom.

The Bradford club made runs at the top and bottom of their order in compiling 181 as Vincent Grant took 4-57 and Caspar Bean 3-37 but Bradley fell just short on 169-9, despite the efforts of opener James Heseltine (72).