WITH 2019 champions Crossflatts having departed for the Bradford League, Bingley Congs and Oakworth are the obvious candidates to replace them in the chase for silverware in Division One of the Craven League.

Oakworth began in imperious form at Wilsden, winning by 195 runs.

Opener Bradley Powell set the visitors on their way with 72, including 11 fours and two sixes, and lower down the order Jack Davison (65no) weighed in with a 45-ball knock that contained three fours and five sixes.

Good support came from keeper Lucas Keslinke (39no), Harry Hollingsworth (33), Liam Humphreys (27) and Joel Gallagher (24), and the upshot was a total of 289-7.

Wilsden were never at the races in their reply and were dismissed for 94, with Tom Fothergill taking 5-22, Under-19 Hollingsworth 2-14 and Under-15 James Powell 2-29.

Haworth should not be discounted either in the race for the title, and they started with a comfortable home win against Barrowford.

The Lancastrians were sent packing for 133, with Neil Rollins the main wicket-taker with 3-36, backed up by Stephen Bell (2-6) and Damian Rowell (2-3).

The latter's brother Jamie then showed his prowess with the bat, with the opener hitting an unbeaten 87 that contained 11 fours and a six in a seven-wicket victory, with the visitors using eight bowlers.

Tension was high at Foulridge, where Ingrow squeezed a three-run win in a low-scoring affair.

The visitors scored 119, being indebted to No.9 Adam Marks’ 26 not out and opener Sam Chipman’s 22.

Foulridge looked good for the win at 97-4, but off-spinner Matthew Courtman (4-19) triggered a collapse after opening bowler Ben Weatherall had picked up two wickets, and Foulridge fell three runs short.

Embsay made short work of Sutton, winning by seven wickets inside 20 overs after the visitors could only make 106-9 in their 40 overs.

The main contributors were skipper David Snowden (27) and Richard Walker (19) as they fell from 48-1.

In Division Two, Cononley lost on an overthrow off the last ball against Bingley Congs II, who needed two to win off that delivery with their last pair at the wicket.

The hosts had made 188-9, with captain and keeper Nathan Parker hitting 62, Tom Feather supporting him well with 36.

Michael Baines and Jonny Teale needed 23 when they came to the crease and made it at the last to defy Feather (3-42) and his colleagues.

Bradley won a tight affair at Barrowford II, with the home side castled for 51. No-one reached double figures as Donnacha Washington (4-7), Toby Meynell (3-13) and Zain Naeem (2-8) held sway.

The visitors did not find things easy in reply, but won by three wickets, skipper and keeper David Hunt (15) being the only player in the match to get to the teens.

Runs were easier to come by for Eldwick & Gilstead and Denholme, especially for the latter’s Toby Priestley.

He hit 121, and with backing from Callum Gerrard (39no) and Michael Dennison (26), they reached 204-5 before dismissing the twin villages for 166, with Sarum Qureshi (4-19) and Phil Poole Jnr (3-16) leading the way.

Long Lee were five-wicket winners at Silsden in another game where the bowlers were on top.

Riddlesden are looking a tasty proposition in Division Three and began with a comprehensive triumph at Denholme II.

Bilal Bashir (73) and Mohammed Qadeer (42) added 99 for the third wicket in the away team’s 229-8, with Tim Shires (3-46) and Under-16 Zac Wheatley (2-24) doing well with the ball for the hosts.

Denholme II could only muster 62 in reply, skipper Chris Dennison carrying his bat for 29.

Glusburn had a good start and finish to their innings at home to Haworth II.

Iain Beattie (27) and Steve Brown (49) putting on 61 for the second wicket before Tamoor Munir (38) and Dom Mortimer (39no) added 42 for the ninth wicket and Mortimer and Irfan Khaliq (13) put on 50 for the last.

Facing a total of 207-8, Haworth II could only make 102, with No.8 Stuart Jackson completing a fine all-round match with a 63 not out that contained 11 fours and three sixes.

Abrar Anwar took 4-19, Mortimer 2-20 and Khaliq 2-25. Jackson had earlier taken 4-37.

The experienced Michael Scarborough hit an unbeaten 49 to see Oakworth II to the spoils by six wickets at home to Wilsden II.

The visitors made 129-5, Charlie Raby doing well with 3-13, before opener Bilal Khan (32) set Oakworth on their way, Stephen Powell (21no) joining Scarborough to finish the job.

Sutton II were distinctly second best at home to Embsay II, being toppled for 57 (Josh Franklin 13) in response to the visitors’ 329-3, Caspar Bean starting where he finished off last season with 140 not out.

In Division Four, Airedale II collapsed from 63-2 to 93 all out at home to Skipton CI II to lose by 58 runs.

Veteran keeper Trevor Cox made 22 for Airedale, whose Jason Barnett (4-44) was best with the ball in CI’s 151 all out.

Even more emphatic was Ingrow II’s win at home to Keighley III.

Muhammad Asadullah made 51 on debut for the hosts, who had lower-order runs from Jonathon Holden (49) and Anthony Hodgson (35no) in their 226-8, Andrew Coppen taking 4-25 and Rahim Hussain 3-17.

Ten-man Keighley III were then topped for 70, with only three men reaching double figures as Hodgson (5-24) and Holden (3-30) completed fine all-round matches.

Long Lee II won by three wickets at home to Bingley Congs III, Neil Kennedy taking 7-18 for the victors.