Wilsden in key win at bottom as Hepworth & Idle eye top spot

They looked dead and buried when they won none of their first 12 matches in Division One this year, losing 10 and having the other two abandoned due to rain.

However, they have won their last three to climb off the bottom and are now only 24 points behind third-from-bottom Bradley with three weeks left.

Wilsden will go into their next game as big favourites too, as they host already-relegated Haworth on Saturday.

Wilsden won the toss at Cowling and sent them in, dismissing them for 78 inside 31 overs as Sam Mitchell (3-27) and Chris Longley (3-10) caused havoc in the home batting ranks

Longley (22 not out) then eased Wilsden to a seven-wicket victory in the 16th over after Sikander Mahmood had made 24.

At the other end of the table, Hepworth & Idle are back up to second, 33 points behind leaders Gargrave, after a four-wicket victory at Glusburn.

Sent in, the hosts made 187 as Jonathan Robinson took 5-39 and Jonny Thompson managed 3-58.

The Westfield Laners were in bother at 27-4, but Thompson (43) and keeper Luke Harland (56) added 90 for the fifth wicket before Robinson scored 37 not out as victory was achieved in the 40th over.

Jonathan Robinson was superb with ball and bat in Hepworth Idle's victory over Glusburn. (Image: Richard Leach.)

Eldwick & Gilstead are up one spot to third, thrashing Haworth Road Meths by nine wickets at Baildon Bottom.

Meths won the toss but made little impression on Ajeet Singh, who took an incredible 6-10 in his nine overs, as they were dismissed for 90 in 33 overs.

Matthew Sharp then scored an unbeaten 41, Charlie Raistrick being 36 not out as E&G won in the 23rd over, Meths dropping two places to fourth as a result.

Meanwhile, the destination of the Division Two championship is in doubt after leaders Bowling Baptist lost their first match of the season.

They were at second-placed Silsden, who won the toss and scored 219, recovering from 69-6, despite Shazaid Yousaf taking 5-59.

Baptist were never really at the races in their reply, despite Shahbaz Ishaq scoring 51 off 32 balls, including six fours and three sixes, in their reply of 126 all out.

The gap between the two clubs is now only 15 points with three matches left.

At the bottom, Hepworth & Idle II seem doomed as they are 36 points adrift, despite recording their third win of the season.

Visitors Thornton-in-Craven were sent in and made 180, some recovery after being 107-8, as Swaraj Thakur took 4-38.

Gareth Deegan (38) and Thakur (45) then put on 67 for the Westfield Laners’ third wicket, but they collapsed from 103-2 to 107-5 before Joe Allatt (35no) and Jack Lorriman (39no) swept them to victory in the 43rd over.

In Division Three, Bradford & Bingley III are up to fourth, swapping places with Menston IV after defeating them by six wickets at Sandy Lane.

Farhan Khalid took 6-26 as Menston were dismissed for 76 after being sent in, and Shahbaz Ahmed (40no) then saw Bingley to victory in the 18th over.

In what was a great weekend for Wilsden, their second team are off the bottom of Division Three after defeating struggling Bingley Congs III by 101 runs at Shay Gate.

Congs elected to field and Wilsden made 152, opener Tanveer Hussain (69) leading the way.

Father and son, Michael (4-35) and Ryan Baines (3-48), got among the wickets, but there was little to cheer once their side batted.

Congs were then skittled for 51, with Max Pearson (17no) the only player in double figures as Olliver Houldsworth (5-13) held sway.

The five points that Congs gained has put them on 103 points, with Keighley III bottom with 98 points and Wilsden third from bottom on 113.

In Division Four there was a derby between Bowling Baptist II and Hepworth & Idle III at Scotchman Road, with the visitors choosing to bat.

However, they were castled for just 56 inside 26 overs, with Imran Muzafar (4-11) and Khalid Mahmood (2-0) the best of seven bowlers used.

Baptist, who are now second albeit having played a game more than third-placed Skipton CI II, knocked off the runs in 13.2 overs for the loss of two wickets, as the Hepworth & Idle third strings dropped to the bottom.