Glorious weather was the order of the day for the J P Mewies Craven & District League last Saturday and some of the cricket matched the conditions.

Embsay entertained their Wynn Cup opponents of the following day, Barrowford, and extinguished the Lancastrians' slim title chances in emphatic style.

The red rose side batted first and could only muster 100-9 in their overs. Neil Hargreaves anchored the innings with 43 as Richard Phillipson spun his way to 6-28 off 13 overs.

The Shires Lane side cantered to a fine seven-wicket win, with Duncan Bullough making 32 and Mick Cox 29no.

Second-placed Oakworth kept the pressure on the leaders by seeing off visitors Thornton with just nine balls to spare. The Booth Bridge Lane side rattled up 191-6 in their overs. The innings was built around a splendid knock of 105 by Kevin Pollard, with Paul Ellis also scoring 30 as John Crossley claimed 4-26 from eight overs.

The reply was ambling along at 78-3 when Mark Price joined Robert Hopkinson and the pair put together a partnership of 115 to take their side to victory, Price making 59no and Hopkinson 81no.

Leaders of the Second Division, Haworth West End, got back to winning ways after last week's defeat at Chatburn with a 41-run win over Ingrow, but second-placed Sutton lost a very high-scoring game at home to Jimmy Nelson's by 17 runs.

Sutton stay in second place, while third-placed Denholme encountered few problems as they destroyed visitors Carleton for a measly 48 and won by ten wickets.