BOWLING Baptist are unlikely to pull off a promotion double in the Timothy Taylor’s Craven League.
Although their first team have already gone up from Division Two to Division One, and are 15 points ahead of second-placed Silsden in the fight for the title, their second XI, who have completed their fixtures in Division Four, are only six points in front of Skipton CI II going into the final weekend.
The Scotchman Road club’s first XI were at Cononley and made 211-5 after winning the toss,
Opener Mohammed Zahid (51) got the innings off to a good start before Omair Ishtiaq (66 not out) propelled them over the 200 mark.
Cononley had four decent contributions when they batted but little else as they were dismissed for 146, Ishtiaq Raza taking 4-27 and Raees Ishtiaq 3-33.
Hepworth & Idle II, who are already down, won the toss at home to Skipton CI and sent them in.
With one eye on the weather, CI - who are in a fight to stay up alongside Ingrow, Cononley and Thornton-in-Craven - declared at 240-6 after 36 overs before castling the Westfield Laners for 113.
They collapsed from 83-3, the main run-getters being Gareth Deegan (34), Joe Allatt (27) and captain Martin McCulley (22).
Another side to declare were Haworth Road Meths, who were at Wilsden in Division One.
The visitors won the toss, but bailed out at 200-8 after 38.1 overs, Goyer Ayoub (69 off 61 balls) giving the innings late impetus after his side had slipped from 58 without loss to 98-6.
Sam Mitchell (3-57) and Chris Longley (3-46) triggered that collapse, and the former then made runs after tea.
Mitchell (30) came in straight after under-18 Bryn Pacey (36) had shown his talent with the bat, but the weather won in the end, with the game being called a draw when interestingly poised with Wilsden 137-5 after 24 overs.
Meths are unlikely to improve on their fourth-placed finish, but Hepworth & Idle and Eldwick & Gilstead, who are third and sixth respectively, might.
They were in opposition at Grange Road, and E&G made 160 after winning the toss, Rob Unsworth (41) and skipper Arnie Raistrick (32) putting on 61 for the fourth wicket, as Tom Hawksworth (3-21) got among the wickets.
Hepworth & Idle then made light of the run chase, scoring 161-3 inside 30 overs, with Nigel Poustie (44) and Luke Harland (45) adding 76 for the second wicket.
Bradford & Bingley III suffered the mother and father of all defeats in Division Three, losing by a mammoth 346 runs at leaders Long Lee.
The visitors sent in the hosts only to see them score 388-9, with Tom Butterfield (147) and Waqas Ahmed (112) both scoring tons and putting on 175 for the second wicket.
Remarkably Shahbaz Ahmed took 5-55 among the carnage, but the Wagon Laners were then skittled for just 42 in 17.4 overs, with only three batters making double figures.
Bingley Congs III, not helped by a 25-point deduction, have been relegated alongside Keighley III, who conceded to Wilsden II.
Congs hosted Cowling at Sandy Lane, who made 71 after being sent in, the in-form Mohammad Haseeb Khan taking 4-35 and Michael Baines chipping in with 4-29.
That total was more than enough, however, as Congs were back in the pavilion for 35 in 16 overs, with only opener Andy Copping (17) making double figures.
Bowling Baptists II did just about all they could at Scotchman Road, defeating Denholme II by two wickets to at least put a bit of pressure on third-placed Skipton CI II.
Denholme, whose top three contributed 135, made 160-6, Bowling replying with 161-8 off 33 overs, as Usman Ahmed and Talhah Batth both scored 25.
Hepworth & Idle III’s match at home to Glusburn II was another affected by the weather.
The visitors declared at 218-5 after 31 overs, and the hosts were 61-5 after 19 overs when the elements became too much, with Malcolm Kershaw having scored 23.
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