Haworth Road are off course in battle of top two (From Keighley News)

Haworth Road are off course in battle of Craven League top two

5:10pm Tuesday 31st July 2012 in Sport By Trevor Coe

A week of fine weather has made a big difference to playing surfaces in the Mewies Solicitors Craven League, and the batsmen rose to the occasion, although the top game of the day was a low-scoring affair.

Haworth Road and Haworth, the top two in Division One, met at Baildon Bottom, and the home side were scuttled for a disappointing 109 in the 39th over. Damian Rowell (3-28) and Gary Binns (3-48) were the main wicket-takers in an innings that also included three run outs. The highest scorer was Chris Griggs who made 21.

The Bronte side were never really at ease but they stuck to their task and got home by three wickets in the 40th over as Jamie Rowell scored 32 and Nicky Trowers 22.

Haworth go top, while Haworth Road drop to joint second with Crossflatts, who crushed an Embsay side desperately short on confidence.

Duncan Ward (46) and Nathan Robinson (37) were the backbone of the Shires Laners' modest 135 as Feyaz Akram took 5-39.

The reply was decisive and brutal, the Ryshworth Park lads storming to victory by seven wickets in just 16 overs as Amer Ayub blasted 88 and Josh Brooksbank 40 not out. The pair put on 117 for the first wicket, and the defeat plunged Embsay to the bottom of the table.

Bradley and Bingley Congs are just a point above as both also slumped to defeat.

Bradley were at Oakworth and, going first, made 108 with James Heseltine scoring 56 as Michael Scarborough claimed 5-34 and Steve Filkin 3-33. Oakworth galloped home for the loss of three wickets with Jack Hainsworth making 49 and Paul Spragg 44 not out.

Bingley Congs entertained Airedale and lost by 25 runs in a high-scoring game. The visitors rattled up 196-9, with Mark Allcock hitting 57, Imran Zaman 35 and Nadeem Zaman 30 as Adie Dibb claimed 4-57. The Beckfoot side, led by Chris Hemsley with 66 and Dibb 38, scored 171-9 as Habib Aslam took 4-86 off 22 overs.

Ingrow jumped from the bottom of the table into eighth spot when they saw off Thornton at Hainworth.

The hosts went first and scored a very healthy 231-7. A second-wicket partnership of 137 by Alan Broadley (88) and Lee Humphreys (39), together with 30 not out by the returning Dale Hoyle provided the backbone of the innings.

The West Craveners could only muster 161 in reply with Dave Scothern making 37 as Mark Price took 3-23.

Barrowford, badly affected by holiday commitments, received no mercy from Cullingworth at Bull Holme.

The white-rose side walloped 239, with Jos Evans making 83 and Chris White 63. The red-rose side replied with a modest 112 as Dave Robinson took 7-43.

Ingrow St John’s and Foulridge, joint leaders of Division Two, had mixed fortunes.

The Saints were at home to Cononley and made 210-7 in their innings, with Deepal Dissanayake hitting five sixes and two fours in a solid 57 and A Raza 34 as second-team skipper Joel Grainger toiled away for 21 overs to finish with 5-119.

While Andrew Starkey and Grainger were together, there was hope for the visitors. The pair put on 90 for the fourth wicket before Grainger went for 29 and Starkey for 82 (five sixes, nine fours) in successive balls. Nadeem Saftar finished with 6-45 and Ahtasham Raza 3-15.

Foulridge received a caning at Riddlesden. Nasser Kamal blasted 100, A Raza 67 and G Ayub 47 as the Grange Road side amassed a massive 297-7 with S Woods sticking to his bowling task by taking 6-67 off 12 overs.

The normally reliable batting line-up of the Noyna collapsed dramatically and they were all out for just 64 – defeated by 233 runs! Mohammed Arshad (4-24) and N Razak (3-9) were the main bowlers.

Cowling nip into third spot after winning by 20 runs at Glusburn in a game of 490 runs.

The Keighley Road side had Martyn Dalby (113) continuing his rich vein of form as they rattled up 255-7, Nick Williamson being the best bowler with 4-54. He followed this with 60 to go with Matthew Lloyd’s 83 as the Park Field side ended just short of their target.

Sutton just got the better of Pendle Forest at Royd Hill, winning by 17 runs. Steady batting saw the home side reach 164 as Peter Hakin took 5-62. Then, despite 48 by Matthew Lutz, the Fence side were never in control of the game and pulled up short.

Oakworth II have gone off the boil just recently and despite making 183 at Long Lee, they went down by 107 runs.

Shabaz Ahmed (95) and Jamie Robinson (59) were the foundation of the Golden View side's massive 290-6. Paul Carter (77) and skipper Steve Powell (60) battled away but their side were undone by Steve Butterfield, who took 6-37 in ten overs.

The derby between Sandy Lane and Wilsden went the way of the latter by 54 runs. Stuart Wilson (32) and Chris Mitchell (4-11) were the best performers for the winners, while Adam Sutcliffe (58) and Steve Carass (4-95) did the business for the losers.

Denholme, leaders of Division Three, surprisingly went down by eight wickets at Gargrave. The hosts' John Beckwith was the star of the game with 7-42 and 57 not out.

Barrowford closed up to within a point after beating Cullingworth by four wickets. It was looking good for the home side as their first three batsmen scored over 30 each but the tail disintegrated and they were all out for 146, with visiting skipper Jonny Ormerod taking 6-33 off nine overs. W Ali (45) and Tony Stafford (39) were the mainstays of the reply as Russell Hogg took 4-65

Haworth West End were the day’s highest scorers as they smashed 300-6 against Skipton CI at Penistone Hill.

Owen Palmer made 97 not out, Joe Bottomley 60, Jos Holt 52 and Sam Chipman 41, with Bottomley and Chipman putting on 101 for the first wicket and Palmer and Holt 122 for the fourth wicket.

CI’s last pair, A Drake (25no) and Chris Windle (19no) put on an undefeated 48 for the last wicket, which took the total to 143-9.

Chatburn hustled Ingrow St John’s II for 99 and then galloped home by five wickets, John Lockley (6-17 off 15 overs) and J Reynolds (3-18) doing the damage for the Ribble Valley side.

Brian Freimanis (59) and Mick Brooksbank (49) helped Crossflatts II to 174-9 at home to Embsay II. It should possibly have been more but under-13 player Sam Arkwright claimed 3-18 off 5.2 overs. Then, despite 44 from Neville Allen, the reply was faltering before under-15 player Struan Mackenzie (27) and Simon Holt (27no) put on 60 for the seventh wicket set up a three-wicket victory.

Wilsden II remain five points clear at the head of Division Four after they and second-placed Bradford & Bingley III had convincing victories.

Mudassar Kiyani (48) and M Jagger (41no) helped the leaders to 213-8 at home to Sandy Lane II. The visitors then slumped to 76 all out, with Shahid Mahmood taking 4-16 and Anthony Stafford-Bennett 3-32.

The Wagon Lane outfit were even more emphatically winners, by nine wickets, at home to Long Lee II.

Only Mick Hawkes (28) and Jonathan Green (16) offered much resistance as the Keighley outfit closed on 98, with N Smith taking 5-24. Ben Crispin (48) and T Carrow (39no) put on 82 for the first wicket as the hosts sauntered home.

Airedale II saw off visitors Bingley Congs II by six wickets at Bradford Road, with Tim Crossley 35, Nick Ahad 31 and Alan Hayes 5-43 being their stars.

It is a good job that Phil Shackleton produced another anchor innings for Glusburn II at Haworth II. His 27 not out in 45 overs helped the Park Field side to a meagre 100-8 as Derek Bright took 4-33 and Gary Searby 4-40.

The reply was not without its problems as early wickets fell. However, Bright dug in for 34 not out to lead his team to the spoils.

One run was the difference between Riddlesden II and Bradley II at the Playing Fields. The Grange Road side struggled to 76 all out as Jago Bean finished with 7-36 off 17 overs.

Things were looking bright for the home side as they stood at 62-4, then calamity as six wickets fell for just 13 runs to leave them agonisingly short as Mohammed Gulnawaz took 5-14 and N Hussein 3-20.

Cononley II were unable to raise a team against Ingrow II.

Pendle Forest II now have the luxury of a seven-point lead at the top of Division Five as they saw off Sutton II and second-placed Cowling II slipped up at Chatburn II.

Sutton II only had eight men at Royd Hill and could only muster 51. The visitors galloped home by eight wickets in the 18th over.

At Cowling II, the Ribble Valley visitors made 136 as Sajid Shafait took 4-45 and Zahid Shafait 3-24. In reply, only veterans Steve Dalby (30) and Ray Jones (24) offered much resistance as the innings closed on 96, with Paul Shorrock taking 6-51.

Oakworth III saw off Foulridge II by 75 runs, and Haworth West End II beat Skipton CI II by five wickets, Liam Chipman (5-17) and Charlie Shimmin (3-19) doing the damage for the Bronte side.

Denholme II skipper Paul Greenwood (71) set up a 21-run victory for his side over Gargrave II.