THE Craven League’s annual trip to the Nidderdale Show to take on the Show XI turned out to be one to savour.

Skipper Neil Copping won the toss and decided to bat. What followed was nothing but carnage, as Craven scored a staggering 376-6 off 40 overs.

Alex Bradbury (Crossflatts) and Sam Porter (Bingley Congs) opened and put on 103 for the first wicket in 14 overs. Bradbury went for 42 to be followed two balls later by Porter.

New batters Toby Priestley (Denholme) and Ronnie Chokununga (Ingrow St John’s) quickly got into their stride and smote the balls to all parts of the field. When the latter went for 74 the score stood at an incredible 321-3 in the 35th over.

The former had already reached the century mark and went on to finish on 163no as the innings closed on 376-6.

Needless to say, the bowling figures did not make pleasant reading. Dan Harris (Wath & Melmerby) took 3-55 off eight overs and youngster Ben Watson (Pateley Bridge) 2-28 off two overs.

The Show team needed to get off to a good start. Sadly that didn’t happen as they lost two wickets with the score on 18. Another three fell as the score trundled to 54 in the 11th over.

A partnership of 72 by Waqas Khan (Glasshouses) and Craig Robson (Knaresborough Forest) took 17 overs to leave them 126-6 as the latter went for 30. Khan was next to go for 58, and the innings closed quickly with the score on 160 to leave Craven winners by a staggering 216 runs.

Craven: A Bradbury c Sands b Sands 42, S Porter b Harris 58, T Priestley 163no, R Chokununga b Harris 74, A Smith (Oakworth) b Watson 8, N Safdar (Ingrow St John’s) c Watson b Harris 1, W Hussain (Ingrow St John’s) c Harris b Watson 6, B Lawn (Oakworth) 5no Extras 10 Total 376-6.

Dnb N Copping (Captain Bingley Congs), Matt Wear (Denholme) J Ormerod (Barrowford)

Show XI: C Gill c Chokununga 22, B Hilton c Porter b Ormerod 14, D Harris b Ormerod 0, W Khan c Porter b Smith 58, S Sowray c Lawn b Wear 0, J Goldsborough c Ormerod b Hussain 3, C Robson c Lawn b Smith 30, J Preece c Safdar b Porter 22, R Sands b Smith 4, O Fryer c Porter b Porter 4, B Watson 1no Extras 2 Total 160

Bowling: M Wear 4-0-28-2, J Ormerod 4-1-9-2, W Hussain 6-1-33-1, B Lawn 4-1-15-0, N Safdar 3-1-10-0, N Copping 3-1-15-0, R Chokununga 2-0-11-0, T Priestley 3-1-10-0, A Smith 3-0-13-3, A Porter 2-0-15-2, A Bradbury 1-1-0-0.