APPROACHING the halfway point of the season, Mewies Solicitors Craven League Division One leaders Bingley Congs are showing no signs of cracking.

They dismissed visitors Hepworth & Idle for just 108 after the Bradford club opted to bat at Beckfoot Lane, and then knocked off the runs for the loss of two wickets inside 18 overs.

Keeper Luke Harland made a defiant 53 for the Westfield Laners off just 61 balls – an innings that contained six fours and two sixes – but only Tom Gadd (14) and Harvey Matthews (10) also reached double figures.

Mohammed Adil (3-14), Harry Greenhalgh (3-18), Neil Copping (2-33) and Matt Roberts (2-36) kept Hepworth & Idle under the thumb, and their goose was cooked by an opening stand of 90 by Congs’ George Hicks (38) and Simon Bailey (47).

Just days after meeting in the Wynn Cup, Barrowford and Wilsden squared up in the league.

Wilsden, after winning the toss, were given an excellent start by the Longleys, with skipper Chris scoring 45 and Peter 48, and impetus was given later by Hasnat Bukhari (66no) and Sam Mitchell (31no) as Barrowford’s bowlers suffered.

Facing a total of 234-6, Barrowford’s reply of 200-9 was creditable, with Chris Longley (4-38) and Sam Mitchell (3-40) completing fine matches as the sides swapped places in mid-table.

Haworth Road Meths’ roller-coaster season continued when they faced Sutton at Baildon Bridge.

Meths won the toss and batted, making 169-5 thanks to Paul Rodwell (34), Wajid Mahmood (27) and Mansha Khan (36no), but Sutton timed their reply nicely, winning by six wickets with two overs to spare to move out of the relegation places.

Only runs per wicket average is keeping Meths out of the bottom two.

Bradford & Bingley’s climb up the Division Two table continued after a five-wicket victory over Barrowford II at Sandy Lane.

The visitors were dismissed for 99 after being sent in, with Farhan Khalid (4-23), Archie Barraclough (2-12) and Shahbaz Ahmed (2-21) proving tough to handle.

Bingley found things no easier when they batted – until Irfan Ulhaque (28no) and Ahmed (28no) got together in a match-winning stand.

Eldwick & Gilstead are also upwardly mobile, beating visitors Silsden by 93 runs.

Wicket-keeper Stephen Timperley made 55 in the twin villages’ 190, with Matthew Sharp (30) and Daniel Kilvington (28) playing useful hands as well.

Ajeet Singh (5-24) and Arnie Raistrick (3-17) then helped bowl out Silsden for 97, despite 51 not out from Andy Pullen.

Bingley Congs II are in a dogfight to avoid relegation that could well include everyone bar the top four.

After two early-season victories, Congs have lost their mojo, and it didn’t return at promotion-chasing Long Lee as they were bowled out for 121 after winning the toss.

Keeper Chris Hemsley top-scored with 26, with Towhid Ali making 25 and Michael Baines 23 not out, but it was never enough as the men from Golden View won by eight wickets inside 24 overs.

Fourth-placed Hepworth & Idle II are bubbling under in the promotion race in Division Three.

They scored 222-6 after winning the toss and batting at home to struggling Denholme II, with captain Michael Newell (50) and Chris Hawksworth (74) putting on 71 for the third wicket.

Hawksworth hit 12 fours and Newell nine, and Dave Dunne (29) and Harry Pinkney (21no) chipped in too before the visitors were castled for 78, with Pinkney taking 3-7, Dunne 3-10 and Darius Bradley 3-28.

Glusburn are also pitching for promotion and made short work of Wilsden II at Shay Gate, dismissing them for 63 on the way to an eight-wicket victory.

Only Jeffrey Pickles (18), Nigel Butterfield (10) and Matthew D’arcy-Brain (10) made double figures for Wilsden.

Runs were hard to come by for Bingley Congs III and Hepworth & Idle III in Division Four.

At least the Westfield Laners’ third string made treble figures at Glusburn II, scoring 113, the vast majority of which were made by skipper and keeper Kamran Azami (53) and Chris Newell (29), but it couldn’t save them from a 100-run defeat.

Jonny Jenkins (3-39) was the most successful bowler in Glusburn’s 213-6.

Congs III only made 48 at in-form Gargrave II, with Jack Wheeler (14no) the only man in double figures as the home side won by eight wickets, with Andrew Greenwood (2-35) taking both wickets to fall.