BONUS points could prove decisive in the race for the title in Division One of the Mewies Solicitors Craven League.

Bingley Congs, Oakworth and Denholme have all won their opening three matches, but only Congs (60) have maximum points, with Oakworth and Denholme both on 58.

Congs made short work of Cowling, one of their title rivals last year, at Beckfoot Lane.

Sent in, Congs made 229-8, with opener George Hicks continuing his magnificent start to the season with 72, following scores of 119 and 100 in the opening two matches.

He hit 12 fours in his 90-ball stay and put on 51 for the fourth wicket with Simon Bailey (22), skipper Neil Copping (45) then adding 51 for the eighth with Danny Pearson (23no).

Cowling were then rolled over for 97 by Matt Roberts (2-15), Pearson (3-24), Mohammad Adil (2-27) and Johandre Barnard (2-1).

Hepworth & Idle are fourth after their four-wicket home win over defending champions Haworth.

Sent in, the latter could only make 129 as brothers Alex (3-26) and Jonathan Robinson (2-17), Mark Harland (3-54) and Simon Raistrick (2-3) formed a potent attack.

Harland and Muzaffar Hussain (62, including 10 fours) then put on 56 for the second wicket as the hosts replied with 130-6, but they got there with only two balls to spare.

Haworth Road Meths did not detain Gargrave for long at Baildon Bottom, making only 79 after being sent in, and that was a recovery from 23-7, thanks to Mohammed Sajjad (22) and Tom Kaznowski (19).

Gargrave won by eight wickets in the 17th over.

Wilsden are bottom, but showed some fight in a two-wicket defeat at Denholme.

The visitors made 117, which was mainly due to captain Chris (41) and Pete Longley (23) and Hasnat Bukhari (20).

Ben Mitchell (3-29) then made life difficult for the hosts.

In Division Two, Eldwick & Gilstead suffered a narrow defeat at home to Barrowford II.

The visitors had first use of the track and made 143, with Arnie Raistrick (3-16), the expensive Matthew Sharp (3-65) and Jordan Bayliss (3-26) among the wickets.

Sharp was then unbeaten on 39 as the twin villages fell short by just five runs as Pat Carberry made 26 and skipper Raistrick 23.

Bradford & Bingley III were dismal with the bat at Bradley, making just 26 after the hosts had scored 107, Daanyal Khan taking 4-18, Farhan Khalid 2-18, Irfan Ulhaque 2-28 and Shahbaz Ahmed 2-16.

Only one player made double figures in the reply in an innings of 19.1 overs.

Bingley Congs II may not have got off the mark for the season at Foulridge, but they did take part in a thoroughly entertaining contest.

The Lancastrians made 186-8 after opting to bat, with Towhid Ali taking 4-51, and then Congs made 168, with Ali and Wajid Mahmood both scoring 41.

Hepworth & Idle II are fourth in Division Three after falling to their first defeat of the season at unbeaten Cononley.

The hosts were 88-3 before a shutter of wickets led to them being dismissed for 117, with Muhammad Abdullah taking 3-18 and John Bogue 5-16.

The Westfield Laners then made 93, with skipper Micheal[correct] Newell scoring 40, but that was an improvement from 1-3.

Wilsden II lost by eight wickets to Thornton-in-Craven, another unbeaten team.

The hosts scored 129 after winning the toss, led by Mudassar Riaz (47) and Luke Stableford (23), who put on 63 for the fifth wicket.

The visitors then romped to an eight-wicket win in the 19th over.

Hepworth & Idle III won a tense match at home to Keighley III in Division Four.

The hosts made 129-9, with Daniel Moore scoring 40 and Rob Jackson 32.

But Hepworth & Idle’s collapse from 79-1 gave the visitors hope, which was dimmed when Keighley were 76-9.

However, skipper Paul Barker (24no) and No 11 Rahim Hussain (18) then added 44 to take Keighley within 10 runs of victory, only for the last wicket to fall.

Zack Holland took 5-30 and Ian Davies 2-22.