CONONLEY are finally off the mark in Division Two of the Craven League.

After eight defeats and four abandonments, they found out that it was lucky 13 when they defeated second-placed Denholme by five wickets at Keighley Road.

The home side were sent in and made 151-8, after Adam Taylor (45) and Hussnain Ali (22) had put on 70 for the first wicket. Adrian Shires chipping in with 23 for Denholme too.

Herbie Starkey (3-46), the accurate Tom Feather (2-14) and Lewie Fitton (2-55) got among the wickets for Cononley before David Turner (50) and wicket-keeper and skipper Nathan Parker (39) added 74 for their fourth wicket.

The innings still needed a boost, however, and it came from Andrew Starkey, whose unbeaten 30 came off only 27 balls, taking Cononley to a five-wicket victory with three balls to spare, despite the efforts of Phil Poole Jnr (3-28).

Cononley are still bottom of the table with seven points, but are now only five behind third-from-bottom Barrowford II.

Third-placed Bradley could not take advantage of what was only Denholme’s second defeat of the season, however, as they lost a low-scoring affair by three wickets at Skipton CI.

The visitors won the toss and batted, but only four players reached double figures in their 104 all out, with Zain Naeem top-scoring with 22.

CI reached their target in the 30th over, despite Toby Meynell taking 3-8 off six overs.

Visitors Long Lee were the latest team to feel the force of leaders Gargrave, but made a decent fist of things in only losing by 19 runs.

Shahbaz Ahmed led the Long Lee attack, taking 3-24 in Gargrave’s 157-6, and the Keighley side must have felt optimistic after their openers Zaffran Ghaffar (18) and Craig Pullen (27) had put on 40.

They were still in with a shout at 85-3 but ended up on 138-8, despite 36 not out from Paul Stowell.

The match between Airedale and Silsden was postponed because of Covid-19.

In Division One, Jason Roberts took five catches for Ingrow at Bingley Congs – three with the gloves and two as an outfielder after Ben Bright had taken over behind the stumps.

Congs rattled up 238, despite Tony Hodgson and Tobias Hartley both taking 3-53, and Bright then starred with the bat, scoring 44 in Ingrow’s 148.

Third-placed Haworth were in a hurry at home to Embsay, knocking off their 180 target in just 25 overs to triumph by seven wickets.

Damian Rowell (5-45) starred with the ball in Embsay’s innings before James Roper (69), Jamie Rowell (49) and Dan Trowers (33no) were in the limelight when Haworth batted.

Oakworth’s match against Hepworth & Idle at Westfield Lane featured two collapses.

The visitors won the toss and batted, but went from 98-4 to 117 all out, with Jake Keslinke (37), captain Rob Hollingsworth (33) and opener Bradley Powell (27) getting the vast majority of those runs.

The Bradford hosts were 85-5 in reply but lost the other half of their wickets for just 24 to lose a tight contest by eight runs as Harry Hollingsworth bagged 4-23.

Leaders Cowling are showing no signs of slowing down and made a daunting 300-5 in their derby against Sutton at Royd Hill.

Visiting skipper Martyn Dalby, who must be in the frame to be Division One’s player of the season, scored 106, with Zahid Hussain hitting 73.

Third-from-bottom Sutton were then castled for 93, with Chris Walker (38) and George Elrick (24) scoring two-thirds of the runs as Hamid Ullah took 4-43.

In Division Three, Glusburn stayed third after profiting from a walkover by Denholme II, but Oakworth II are up to fourth after winning a low-scoring game at Hepworth & Idle II.

The hosts went from 91-5 to 107-9, with Akeel Umar taking 2-12 and Jacob Davies 2-16.

The experience of skipper Michael Scarborough was useful in the reply as he scored 39 in a four-wicket victory.

They are now level on points with Haworth II, who got little change out of leaders Embsay II at Shires Lane.

The front-runners made 199-4, and Haworth were 24-7 in reply before No.7 Darren Ellerton (51no) and skipper Stuart Jackson (27) put on 68 for the eighth wicket to help them to 110.

Covid-19 put paid to the match between Cowling II and Sutton II.

In Division Four, leaders Ingrow II shared the spoils with Glusburn II as their match was postponed due to a wet ground, but second-placed Long Lee II swapped places with third-placed Gargrave II after their meeting at Golden View.

Sent in, Long Lee made 117-8, a large majority of which came from Zohaib Mahmood (32), Steve Tempest (27) and No.9 Neil Kennedy (21no).

Gargrave then took exactly 20 overs to win by seven wickets.

James Crossley (5-19) put the skids under Bingley Congs III’s innings at Sandy Lane.

Needing 101 for victory, however, Airedale II could only muster 76, collapsing from 60-4.

Bradley II are up to seventh after a comprehensive home win over Skipton CI II.

Sent in, Bradley made a creditable 138-8 before dismissing the visitors for 80, with Caleb Lister (3-16) and Jack Caton (3-22) showing the way.

Oakworth III conceded to Hepworth & Idle III.