There were near-perfect conditions for cricket last Saturday and, in the main, the batsmen were in the ascendancy in the Mewies Solicitors Craven League.

Joint First Division leaders Oakworth and Cullingworth were both in the runs, rattling up 250-plus.

The Cure Hill side were at Bradley and hammered 264-7, with Michael Scarborough scoring 82no and Paul Spragg 52.

The home side were restricted to 160 all out in reply, with Neil Andrews-top scoring with 38 as Jack Davison took 4-46 and Adam Smith 3-41.

Cullingworth were in run-chasing mode at home to Thornton-in-Craven.

The Booth Bridge Laners must have felt reasonably content about defending 253-8. Dave Scothern made 63 and Rob Foster 40 as Phil Poole took 4-63.

After losing Steve Welch for 11 at 15, the Roydwood Terrace enjoyed a second-wicket partnership of 175 by Stu Rogers (66) and Gareth Marshall (127) which set up the successful chase. Marshall was finally out with the score on 249.

Haworth Road are a couple of points behind the top two after beating Haworth by 43 runs in Bronteland. The Baildon Bottom side were stumbling along at 89-7 then F Akram (69no) an M Jamil (52) put on 95 for the eighth wicket, which helped the final score to 208 as Reece White, Stephen Bell and Damian Rowell each took three wickets.

The reply of 165 would have been a sorry sight without a superb 110 from White and 20 from Richard Gaunt as Akram ripped through the top order with 5-13 off 11 overs.

Next-to-bottom Cowling struggled to 105 at Crossflatts as Mick Addy claimed 4-16 off 12 overs. The hosts weren’t fairing much better as they stumbled to 39-4 before Mick Brooksbank steadied the ship with 42 not out and victory was achieved by five wickets.

Chris Hemsley (72) and Michael Baines (6-25) were the stars of Bingley Congs' 106-run win over bottom side Cononley.

Embsay lost their way when Freddie Bailey was introduced to Barrowford’s attack. He bowled ten overs and finished with 3-21 to peg the Shires Laners to 182-6 in their overs when it looked as though they would make 220-plus.

Duncan Ward made 51 and John Golson 48. Steady batting saw the red-rose side to the points by four wickets with nine balls to spare, with Bailey scoring 47 and Nabeel Ahmed 46.

Head of the Second Division are Airedale, who lead by three points from Sandy Lane.

The Bradford Road side were at Pendle Forest, who never got to grips with things as they were hustled out for 86, with A Mamood claiming 4-18 and Nadeem Zaman 3-17. Matt Cox (47no) was the mainstay of the visitors' eight-wicket triumph.

Riddlesden’s Israr Shah took 7-49 off 14.2 overs at Sandy Lane as the home side were dismissed for 165, with skipper Luke Ellis scoring 39. He followed this with 5-31 to set up a home win by 26 runs as Mick Hawkes top-scored with 45.

There was a run feast at the mecca of good batting, Park Field. Visitors Sutton enjoyed some all-round batting to reach 283, with Steve Doane making 52, A Raza 47 and David Snowden and Richard Walker 35 apiece. Mark Pickles stuck to his task with the ball to end up with 6-66.

Glusburn’s reply was a creditable 238, with Matt Lloyd making 59, Alan Coney 56 and Nick Williamson 43. However, they were kept in check by Wasim Hussain, who took 8-47 in 11.3 overs.

Visitors Wilsden staggered to 16-0 in their first 15 overs at Long Lee. The next 30 overs produced 140 runs, with Dipesh Mistry scoring 34 not out and A Stafford Bennett 34 as Kenny Sejake took 5-38 and Shabaz Ahmed 3-37.

The Golden View side made heavy weather of taking the points, losing eight wickets before reaching the winning post.

Jan Haider hit 11 fours in a match-winning 62. Although he went to leave the score on 148-8, there was a lot of nail-biting time still left.

Bottom side Embsay II ran into run-machine Mark Nerenberg at Chatburn. He rattled up 124 not out off just 80 balls, which included 21 fours and two sixes to see the Ribble side home by seven wickets.

Earlier, the Shires Lane side had posted a healthy 194-8 in their overs, with Nasser Hussain scoring 71 not out and Neville Allen 27.

Joint Third Division leaders Ingrow St John’s and Oakworth II both won, but in very contrasting fashion.

The Saints were at Cononley II and thrashed them by 133 runs, with Mo Shahnawaz make a fine 79.

Meanwhile, Oakworth II were struggling to get past Eldwick & Gilstead’s 86 at Cure Hill. Simon Timperley had top-scored with 34 for the Dick Hudson’s side as Ian Jackson claimed 6-18. The latter then joined No 9 Greg Hudson and saw the Oaks to the points by just one wicket.

Haworth West End are five points behind in third place. They entertained Cullingworth, who rattled up 191-9 with George Fletcher scoring 70 not out, Paddy Clarke 45 and 13-year-old Martin Walker hitting a classy 32. Joe Holt was the best bowler, finishing with 3-55.

Wickets clattered as the Bronte side went after their target. They stood at 60-6 when 14-year-old Josh Holt joined Joe Bottomley.

The pair put on an undefeated 135 to win the game by four wickets. Bottomley made a fantastic 126 not out and Holt 36 not out as Dave Etherington took 4-63.

Liam Hainsworth (78) was the mainstay of Haworth Road II's six-wicket win over Glusburn.

Gargrave captain Pete Cowburn (79) was their chief scorer as Paul Mason (39) and Dean Pompey (4-38) were Skipton CI’s best performers in their tied game.

Denholme just held off a fighting challenge by visitors Crossflatts II to win by 19 runs. I Murray 64, Adam Taylor 37 and Tom Greenwood 32 helped the hosts to 213-8. Then C Durn made 64 in the losing cause.

Fourth Division leaders Ingrow St John’s made light work of Pendle Forest II, winning by eight wickets at Street Lane.

Lurking a point behind in second place are Barrowford II, who accounted for Chatburn II by six wickets at Bull Holme.

Ajmal Choudrhy (66), Mohammed Shahid (57no) and Wasim Ali (5-20) were the stars for the winners, while Mike Bennett scored 50 for the Ribble Valley side.

Little Marsden were dismissed for 117 at Victory Park, but visitors Bradford & Bingley III perished for just 61 in reply.

At Windy Row, Steve Butterfield scored 50 of Long Lee II's 143, with Dave Collins taking 4-36. A Jowett (69no) saw Wilsden II to the spoils by eight wickets.

Andy Holmes took 4-30 as Bradley II hustled out Ingrow II for a disappointing 63 at Hainworth. The South Craveners galloped home by eight wickets in 13.1 overs.

Riddlesden II (110) beat Sandy Lane II (85) by 25 runs at Grange Road with I Siddique taking 7-33 for the winners.

Airedale II maintained their four-point lead at the top of the Fifth Division after beating Gargrave II by 83 runs at Bradford Road.

Second-placed Haworth II were made to work hard for success by Oakworth III at Carleton. M Clegg made 27 as Oakworth III posted 95 all out, with Dave Walsh (3-14) Derek Bright (3-25) and Gary Searby (3-30) doing the damage for the Bronte side.

Haworth II stumbled to 11-3 and then struggled to get over the line, which they successfully did for the loss of seven wickets.

Third-placed Bingley Congs II rattled up 171 on their trip to Skipton CI II, with Josh Nutting top-scoring with 46 as Zed Hussain took 3-9 and Mel Mason 3-27. The Sandylanders were hustled out for 111 in reply, despite 41 from Bruce Woodhouse.

Seasoned campaigner Jeff Tipler rolled back the years as he hit a superb 103 to help Thornton II to 206-7 at home to Haworth West End II, with Jessica Scothern making 45 not out.

Without 45 by No 8 A Hallis, the Bronte side's reply of 124-9 would have looked miserable.

Foulridge II went down by 16 runs at home to Eldwick & Gilstead II, and Cowling II powered past Denholme II by nine wickets.

Finally the Williams', Gary (124) and Paul (92), put on 225 for Sutton II's first wicket at home to Pendle Forest III. The innings closed on 262-3. This was 130 too many for the Fence side as James Bannister claimed 5-42 and W Norcross made 55no for the losers.