BINGLEY Congs at last have a bit of clear water in their bid to win the Craven League Division One title.

After thrashing Gargrave at Beckfoot Lane, they are now 20 points (a maximum win) ahead of Oakworth, who slipped up at Hepworth & Idle.

Congs chose to bat and racked up 264-7, with the reliable Danny Pearson (37) putting on 69 for the third wicket with overseas player Johandre Barnard (94), whose innings took only 89 balls and contained 14 fours and two sixes.

Simon Bailey (39) then added 52 for the fourth wicket with Barnard, and the former then put on 64 with potential all-rounder of the year Matty Roberts (56no), who struck eight fours and a six in his 45-ball stay.

Congs only needed to use two bowlers, with their pace duo of Roberts (4-29) and Harry Greenhalgh (6-44) mopping up the Gargrave innings for 81 in just 22.3 overs.

Hepworth & Idle, strong contenders for a top-three berth, made 198-7 after winning the toss at Westfield Lane, with openers Jamie Topham (27) and Nigel Poustie (52) giving them a firm foundation with a stand of 45.

Poustie and Jonny Thompson (46) then put on 66 for the fourth wicket, and Jack Bedford (29) ensured there was no tailing off.

Oakworth were 46-3 in reply and then 160-7, but could not fend off the three-pronged attack of brothers Jonathan (3-41) and Alex Robinson (3-33) and Thompson (3-36), whose return from Thackley is proving very timely.

Wilsden’s total of 101 was not what they hoped for after winning the toss at Haworth Road Meths, but it would have been worse were it not for good displays down the order by Hasnat Bukhari (23) and Doug Richardson (34no).

Mohammed Ibrahim (3-40), Andy Maude (4-25) and Mohammed Sajjad (2-23) kept things under control for Meths, who had their own worries with the bat before being helped to a five-wicket victory by Kris Hargreaves (29) and Sajjad (20no).

In Division Two, Eldwick & Gilstead are more firmly in the hunt for promotion as their defeat of second-placed Silsden has put them only 16 points behind the Cobbydalers in third.

Six players made double figures in the home side’s 175, with the increasingly influential Jordan Bayliss leading the way with 36, backed up by Daniel Kilvington (29) and Matthew Sharp (28).

Silsden were 67-2 but lost their last eight wickets for just 13 runs as Sharp (4-23), Ajeet Singh (3-24) and Stephen Timperley (2-7) held sway.

Struggling Bingley Congs II made 155 batting first at Glusburn, with opener Lee Crowther (43) being the only one of the top four not to make a duck.

Safraz Mahmood chipped in with 30 but their total never looked like being enough when Glusburn’s top four made 133 between them on the way to a five-wicket win.

Bradford & Bingley III must have been content to dismiss Skipton CI for 137 at Sandylands after winning the toss, with Oliver Gokhale taking 4-30 and Shahbaz Ahmed 3-24.

Bingley were in bother at 26-4 but three partnerships then helped them to a four-wicket victory, with Ahmed integral to that with 71 not out, which contained 10 fours.

Skipper Adam Swallow saw his team over the line at the end of the 39th over with 22 not out.

Hepworth & Idle II were involved in a tie at Oakworth II in Division Three, with Dave Dunne bagging 5-26 and Swaraj Thakur 4-26 after the home side were sent in, making 102.

The game looked up for the Westfield Laners when they were 58-8 but they then looked favourites at 101-8 after a stand of 43 between Dunne (24) and skipper Mikey Newell (28no).

But the last two wickets fell for one run to leave that stalemate.

Wilsden II were too good for visitors Denholme II, making 143 after winning the toss, with opener Tanveer Hussain (34) top scoring.

Nigel Butterfield (23) then ensured that the second half of the innings didn’t fade away, but Denholme never threatened after tea, being skittled for 61 by Mudassar Riaz (4-12), Bryn Pacey (2-14) and Sheraz Malik (2-22).

Hepworth & Idle III batted through their innings at home to Oakworth III in Division Four, making 101-9, with Kara Price (21) top-scoring as six reached double figures.

The hosts must have been dreaming of glory when Oakworth were 4-3 but their hopes were dashed by an unbroken stand of 101, with Daniel Moore taking 2-30.