WITH seven matches remaining, Bingley Congs have put themselves in a very strong position to win Division One of the Craven League.

They defeated nearest rivals Oakworth, who they meet again in the Wynn Cup final at Skipton CI on Sunday (1.00), by two wickets in a tense encounter and now lead them by 32 points.

Visitors Oakworth were sent in and had four players in the twenties in making 146 - Bradley Powell (20), skipper Jack Davison (22), Corey Green (20) and Ellis Marshall (29).

However, although Oakworth lost their last three wickets on 146, their total looked enough when Congs were 42-6.

However, partnerships of 69 and 32 helped them over the line, despite Tom Fothergill taking 4-48, Harry Hollingsworth 2-47 and Marshall 2-16.

Another close game involved Cowling at home to Haworth Road Meths, who made 160, despite Hamid Ullah (4-21),

Cowling only fell nine runs short of victory in their reply, with runs from Darab Khan (28) and last pair Danyal Mahmood (20) and Junaid Hussain (20no), which must have given Meths the jitters.

It was a day for forget for Denholme, however, who saw visitors Gargrave rack up 343 (Toby Priestley 3-87, Zac Wheatley 2-25) before being dismissed for 42 in 15.4 overs.

Top scorer for the losers in a 301-run defeat was skipper Ryan Clark (16no).

Equally one-sided was the clash between Sutton and Haworth, with Sam Solley (51) dominating Sutton’s innings of 87.

After being 73-2, they could not cope with brothers Damian (4-6) and Jamie Rowell (4-13) and lost eight wickets for just 14 runs.

Visiting skipper James Roper scored 41 in a first-wicket partnership of 78 with Jamie Rowell (31no), who saw Haworth home.

Zafar Iqbal (5-49) was the stand-out bowler for struggling Ingrow at Wilsden, who made 279-8.

Shahid Ajmal outshone him with the bat, however, making 111 off 104 balls, including 14 fours and six sixes, in Ingrow’s 187, with Hasnat Bukhari (107no) having already hit a century for Wilsden.

In Division Two, hosts Foulridge gave leaders Riddlesden a better game than most, scoring 172-8, with Mohammaed Gulnawaz taking 3-37 and Mohammad Shahnawaz 3-22.

The visitors lost five wickets in reaching their target, with opener Naveed Hussain scoring 41, Aftab Khan 30, Shahnawaz 21, Arfan Mahmood 39 not out and Ehsan Khan 23 not out.

Third-placed Long Lee clearly enjoyed themselves on Glusburn’s fine wicket at Park Field, scoring 280 in an innings of several contributors.

Zaffran Ghaffar (22) and Mark Day (21) gave the visitors a start and Richard Ayrton (51), Matty Stowell (50), Ben Stowell (25) and Jamil Muhammad (33) continued the pain.

Steve Brown took 3-78 and Irfan Khaliq 2-36 but Glusburn could only muster 150 in response, with Pete Schofield scoring 40, Dom Mortimer 22 and Brown 40 not out as the wickets were shared between Moin Ahsan (3-34), Muhammad (3-39) and Mohammed Ishtiaq (3-37)

The games at Barrowford (v Silsden) and Bradley (v Airedale) were rained off without a ball being bowled.

In Division Three, Oakworth II defeated Skipton CI II by 15 runs in a decent encounter at Wide Lane.

Runs came down the order for Oakworth from Subhaan Ahmed (54) and skipper Michael Scarborough (66no), who added 79 with him for the sixth wicket and then 74 unbroken for the seventh with Akeel Umar (37no).

Facing a total of 219-6, CI II replied with 204-5, with wicket-takers Umar (2-50) and Noman Hassan (2-51) both being expensive.

Chris Smith top-scored for Haworth II at home to Hepworth & Idle II, making 51 before being run out and adding 47 for the seventh wicket with Stephen Bell (13).

With Stuart Jackson weighing in with 31, Haworth totalled 152 but the visitors won by six wickets in the 33rd over with an unbroken stand of 67.

Craig Pullen was in form for Long Lee II, hitting 81 off 90 deliveries, including 14 fours and two sixes, but he was very much a lone star in their 140-8 at home to leaders Thornton-in-Craven, with only three other players reaching the teens.

Thornton-in-Craven won by eight wickets in the 21st over.

Cowling II were handed a walkover by Denholme II.

In Division Four, there was a fine contest between Airedale II and Glusburn II at the Airedale Oval, with the hosts being revived by stands of 55 and 46 for the fifth and sixth wickets, both involving Asad Moghul (49no).

His first partnership was with keeper James Haley (29) and his second with Stephen Bond (27) as they totalled 185-7 after John Pollard had made 30.

Maj Hussain returned superb figures of 3-16 from 10 overs, and he was backed up by Tahir Mehmood (2-34).

Glusburn were seen to a two-wicket win in the penultimate over by skipper Mark Pickles (60no), who put on 74 for the sixth wicket with Ryan Fountain (25) after earlier knocks of 28 by Rafaqat Hussain and 24 by Mehmood.

James Crossley (4-55) was the pick of the Airedale bowlers.

Andrew Fountain was in the runs for Sutton II, making 35 in their 122-6 at Ingrow II, backed up by captain Rob Tedder (19) as Mo Chowdhory took 3-25.

The hosts found their reply easy, making 123-2 and winning in the 22nd over with contributions from skipper Adam Marks (43), Jarvid Iqbal (40no) and Chowdhory (28no).