SILSDEN II will contest the final of the Mewies Solicitors Craven League’s newest knockout competition.

They will meet Gargrave II in the John Clayton Cup decider at Haworth Road Meths on Sunday, July 30.

Silsden opener Hugh Sugden played the sheet-anchor role when they won the toss in their semi-final at home to Skipton CI II, batting through the 40 overs for 56 not out.

He put on 50 for the second wicket with Bilal Mahmood (28) but the real impetus in the innings came when keeper James Nelson strode to the crease.

He scored an incredible 110 off just 74 balls, including 17 fours and three sixes, and added 150 for the third wicket with Sugden in a total of 232-4.

CI’s reply of 170 was dominated by two men – Sean Williamson (40) and Steven Davidson (76), with the next highest scorer making nine – but the skids were put under their innings by Alex Nelson (4-41), Mahmood (2-31) and TJ Berry (3-21).

Sutton chose to bat in the other semi-final at Royd Hill, but although three players got into the twenties, no-one did better than Theo Reay’s 26 not out in their 159-7, with skipper Craig Thornton scoring 24 and Ali Hussain 25.

Gargrave stuttered in reply, going from 65-0 to 69-3 but were seen home inside 30 overs by Kieren Ashley (19no) and Dieter Kayley (12no).

The highest scorer in Gargrave’s innings, however, was Mr Extras with 53, 44 of which were wides.

In Division One, both Riddlesden and Haworth have taken advantage of Cowling falling to only their second defeat of the league season, both passing the south Craven side to go first and second in the table on 112 points.

Riddlesden made 274-5 at home to Wilsden but the fireworks came at the end of the innings, with Mohammed Zulfiqar hitting five sixes in the final over.

That took him to 50 not out off just 16 balls, which rather took the shine off keeper Arfan Mahmood’s unbeaten 113 and the 51 from captain Mohammed Gulnawaz.

Mohammed Arshad (4-41), Mohammed Ishtiaq (2-23) and Moin Ahsan (2-29) then restricted Wilsden to 149.

Haworth were in a hurry at Sutton, dismissing the hosts for 82 after they chose to bat, with only Sam Solley (30) and Dave Snowden (18) reaching double figures in a first-wicket stand that was half the total.

First-change Jamie Rowell took 7-19, with Darren Ellerton bagging 2-4.

Rowell then starred with the bat, scoring an unbeaten 33 as he and fellow opener Pete Gower (50no) knocked off the runs in 18 overs, scoring 15 fours between them.

Although Cowling lost, it was tight for them at Haworth Road Meths, who won the toss and made 182, with Martyn Dalby taking 3-55 and Danish Hameed 4-17.

Cowling looked out of it but were revived by No.6 Dalby (73) and No 7 Darab Khan (38), only to fall 11 runs short.

Fifth-placed Gargrave had a comfortable afternoon, winning by six wickets at Denholme, who did well to make 127, having been 15-3 but then collapsing from 103-4.

Guy Flanagan and Hussnain Ali both scored 28, adding 51 for the fifth wicket after Paul Armitage had scored 25.

In Division Two, leaders Glusburn were the latest side to feel the force of Hepworth & Idle’s second XI, losing by 55 runs at Westfield Lane.

The first part of Glusburn’s bowling stint went superbly as they reduced the hosts to 22-5 but then a remarkable knock of 127 not out by No.7 Martin McCulley took them to 247, after Irfan Khaliq (3-52) and Brett Parkin (4-61) had caused the early damage.

Matt Lloyd (43) added 55 for the second wicket with captain Steve Brown (26), and keeper Pete Schofield weighed in with 21, but Glusburn could only make 192 in what was only their second league defeat of the season.

Silsden held their nerve at Airedale, with last pair Dan Jones (2no) and Alex Nelson (4no) adding the six needed to give them victory.

Inserted, Airedale made 143-8, with Mathew Cox (38) and Saqib Javaid (29) putting on 49 for the fifth wicket, Joshua Waind taking 4-34.

Keeper Tom Greenwood then gave Silsden a chance by making 65, Will Pullen also chipping in with 24 to defy Josh Coppack (3-34).

Bradley won a low-scoring derby by three wickets at home to relegation-threatened Skipton CI, who made 119, Mohammed Qadeer taking 4-12.

Iklaq Ahmed (28no) and Tom Eaglesfield (13no) then saw Bradley home with an unbroken stand of 44 after Akeel Rashid had made 20.

Thornton-in-Craven had a fine win at Long Lee, who made 245 after being sent in, which was largely down to Shabaz Ahmed, whose 92 came off only 74 balls and contained seven fours and eight sixes.

He added 86 for the ninth wicket with James Fulwood (14), with earlier contributions coming from Waqas Ahmed (33) and Matty Stowell (35).

Thornton-in-Craven, who timed their run chase nicely, won by three wickets in the 41st over.

Ingrow II, who continue to pull away from trouble, thrashed basement boys Bradford & Bingley III by 199 runs.

The hosts were given the perfect start by skipper Ben Weatherall (82) and Shahid Ajmal (51), who put on 115 for the first wicket, with Weatherall facing 79 balls and hitting 13 fours and two sixes.

Tobias Hartley (39no) and Aaron Pearce (27no) then put on 66 unbroken in their 247-7 before Bingley were rolled over for 48 inside 16 overs, with Pearce bagging 5-9 and Atif Malik 4-10.

Bowling Baptist and Cononley continue to have a healthy lead at the head of Division Three, with the latter disposing of visitors Keighley III in short order.

They were dismissed for 103, keeper Harry Robinson scoring 33, with Tom Feather taking 5-23 and Harry Parker 2-17.

Feather (35no) and Nathan Parker (38no) then saw Cononley to an eight-wicket victory inside 17 overs.

Cowling II needed a win and got it at struggling Haworth II, who lost wickets in clumps in being dismissed for 132, despite Mick Cryer (25) and Tom Loynes (44) putting on 75 for the second wicket.

Ollie Bishop then weighed in with 27, Sajid Shafait leading the Cowling attack with 4-45.

Rayan Hassan Ali (29) and Haseeb Majid (31) then helped Cowling to a four-wicket win, Zakary Fyfe-Gudgeon taking 2-17 and Matt Wooding 2-18.

Runaway Division Four leaders Silsden II won a low-scoring contest at home to Long Lee II, with Sugden’s 50 being vital to Silsden’s 126-7, young Archie Cox scoring 21.

Then Toby Cunningham (4-10) and Berry (2-2) gained a stranglehold on the home batters, helping to dismiss them for 62, despite 23 from captain Daniel Kernan and 17 from Junaid Gullnawaz.

New boy Pete McMahon had a day to remember for Glusburn II at Menston Crompark II, making 97 as the visitors totalled 181-4, adding 51 for openers with captain Alan Coney (17), 42 for the second wicket with Umar Dar (22) and 56 for the third with Amir Javed (31).

Crompark made a decent fist of their reply but ended on 154 as Dar took 3-25, Cody Hird 2-33, Tilaat Ahmed 2-34 and Coney 2-5.

Airedale II were no match for Bowling Baptist II at Scotchman Road, being dismissed for 101 after winning the toss, with Younis Shahzad (21), Sakib Ali (14) and Joshua Walker (16no) the only ones to trouble the scorers.

Baptist won by eight wickets in the 17th over.

Daniel Fazackerley played the dominant innings of the day at Cambing, helping visitors Ingrow II to 191 after being sent in by Hepworth & Idle III.

He put on 55 for the second wicket with Jarvid Iqbal (16) and 52 for the fifth with Usman Butt (27), Muhammad Asadullah chipping in with 24.

Iqbal then took 5-23 and Adam Hussain 3-30 as the home side were dismissed for 147.

Bradley II were given a walkover by Denholme II.