INGROW St John's have served notice in emphatic style that they don't intend to give up their Mewies Solicitors Craven League First Division crown without a fight.

They handed leaders Bingley Congs their initial defeat of the season after rattling up 285-9 at Beckfoot Lane, Omar Khatab hitting 81 and Nadeem Zaman 43 not out as Adie Dibb returned 4-76 and Neil Copping 3-47.

Congs were never in the hunt in their reply and were castled for 141, with Chris Dibb scoring an unbeaten 52 in the middle order as Nadeem Safdar took 4-23 and Wasim Hussain 4-31.

The upshot of that setback means there is a triple tie at the top between Saints, Congs and Oakworth, who won by eight wickets at Sutton, despite a brave 97 by home opener Matt Walker in their 196-6, Michael Scarborough taking 4-29.

Oakworth replied with 198-2 in just 34.3 overs, opener Gareth Marshall's 104 not out containing seven sixes and eight fours in 93 balls, Scarborough scoring 47 not out in an unbroken stand of 103 and Jack Hainsworth 40 in a partnership of 85.

The runs flowed both ways when Haworth met Riddlesden in Bronteland, with the hosts cracking 262-6 thanks to Jamie Rowell (94), Dan Trowers (51) and Andrew Coatesworth (42no).

However, it was not enough as Riddlesden replied with 266-4 off 43.1 overs, Amjad Hussain making a spectacular 128no out of 190 in the middle order and adding 151 for the fourth wicket with Naveed Hussain (42).

Crossflatts are joint fourth with Riddlesden but were thankful to Alex Bradbury (5-53) and No 7 Qamar Ayub (69no), the latter rescuing flatts from 45-5 in pursuit of their 145 target, which they reached for the loss of only one further wicket.

Much like Congs, Cowling have paid a price for their first defeat of the season in the Second Division.

Their two-wicket setback at Oakworth Seconds has given Thornton-in-Craven the outright leadership, with Oakworth's second string in third just a point behind the Keighley Road club.

Shahid Hassan (88), Martyn Dalby (57) and Ben Davy gave Cowling a massive middle-order boost on their way to 204-8, Tom Fothergill taking 4-57 and Jack Ellis 3-51, but it wasn't enough as Oakworth replied with 205-8 off 43.2 overs, Sam Nettleton's impressive 53no at No 9 sealing the deal, despite Ajmal Choudhry taking 4-42 and Dalby 3-86.