RIDDLESDEN and Haworth, who played out a rare drawn game, have kept the pressure on leaders Cowling in Mewies Solicitors Craven League Division One.

Hosts Riddlesden won the toss and made 205-8 before declaring, with Saquib Hussain’s 73 the highlight.

His runs came off just 52 deliveries and included seven fours and five sixes, and he added 59 for the fifth wicket with skipper Mohammed Gulnawaz (28) and 40 for the sixth with Mohammed Zulfiqar (31).

They had been 60-4 as Charlie Jackson (2-26) and Matty Lee (4-69) prospered.

Haworth knew that they would draw as long as they were not bowled out and made just 64-5 from 38 overs, with Tom Rowell’s 34 taking 100 balls and Harry Reynoldson’s 11 not out coming off 69 balls after being put on the back foot by Moin Ahsan (8-5-6-2) and Gulnawaz (11-5-18-2).

Cowling passed their ‘squeaky bum’ test in getting a one-wicket victory at next-to-bottom Denholme.

The hosts chose to bat but only made 115, despite an opening stand of 54 between Mushtaq Ahmed (22) and Richard Taylor (30), as change bowlers Connor Brown (4-30) and Danish Hameed (5-37) got to work, keeper Adam Khan weighing in with 32.

However, Cowling also found things difficult and only five players made double figures, including top-scorer Laiq Ur Rehman (27).

They were staring defeat in the face at 104-9 but Ben Davy (9no) and Brown (5no) saw Cowling home to foil Richard (3-43) and Adam Taylor (4-48).

Sutton bowled first at home to Wilsden, and again the tactic worked.

Sachin Abraham (3-17), Jibin Jacob (2-28) and Ben Middleton (2-10) helped to restrict Wilsden to 106-7, and Sutton knocked the runs off inside 17 overs to win by seven wickets.

David Snowden (24) set them on their way with Sam Solley (47no), who was there at the end as the gap between second-from-bottom Sutton and Wilsden narrowed to six points.

Winning the toss and fielding also paid dividends for leaders Glusburn in Division Two.

Irfan Khaliq (5-23) and Steve Brown (4-37) were among the wickets as visitors Long Lee were dismissed for 153, with only Yasser Chatta (34) and Waqas Ahmad (67) making double figures.

Ahmad’s runs came off 52 balls and contained 10 fours and two sixes as he added 97 with Chatta for the third wicket, but Glusburn skipper Brown then starred with the bat as they won with three down.

He scored 86 off just 65 deliveries, hitting eight fours and six sixes, adding 72 for the second wicket with opener Matt Lloyd (28) and 79 for the third with keeper Pete Schofield (33no) as the target was passed in the 22nd over.

Airedale remain second after chasing down Bradford & Bingley’s 175-8 at Sandy Lane, with Scott Whittam-Ritchie taking 3-59.

Raja Mohammed Adnan was the key figure for the visitors, scoring 84 not out from 80 deliveries, including 12 fours and two sixes, as they won by six wickets in the 28th over.

He added 62 for the third wicket with Josh Coppack (34) and 61 for the fourth with Waris Ismail (23).

Bradley, sent in at home to Silsden, had the dominant batter in Matt Buckmaster, whose 71 helped them to a 13-run victory.

His knock lasted for only 67 balls and contained nine fours and two sixes, and he added 87 for the second wicket with keeper Juni Ashraf (33) in their 188-9.

Silsden, in relegation trouble after their 40-point deduction for the behaviour of their players and spectators earlier in the season, made 175 in reply, tailing off from 148-5 with two run outs and Zafar Iqbal’s 2-7.

Ahsan Rizwan (4-37 and 29) had a fine match for the Cobbydalers, adding 53 for the sixth wicket with Mohsan Gulbhar (31) after Dom Mortimer had made 37 up the order.

Ingrow took the opportunity to declare when the rains came at 151-5 halfway through the 33rd over against Thornton-in-Craven after an opening partnership of 83 between the in-form Ben Weatherall (72) and Mo Chowdhory (41).

Weatherall’s innings lasted 91 balls and contained eight fours and three sixes, but the visitors won by six wickets in 22 overs, despite Atif Malik’s 3-46.

In Division Three, leaders Cononley profited by a concession from cellar dwellers Wilsden II, but Gargrave II collected 19 points from a possible 20 with a narrow victory at Haworth II.

The latter made 183-8, which was some recovery from 38-5, No.8 David Robinson hitting an unbeaten 101 off just 73 balls, including 13 fours and seven sixes.

He added 81 for the sixth wicket with keeper Paul Stephens (21) and 54 unbroken with Zachary Fyfe-Gudgeon (13no).

However, Gargrave had their own batting star in Dominic Ferneyhough, whose 73 not out was equally crucial to a two-wicket triumph in the 37th over to deny the unlucky Matt Wooding (5-36).

Gargrave II are fourth, and one place below them are Cowling II, who won a decent match against Menston Crompark by 41 runs.

Cowling, who won the toss, had two half-century stands in their 197-8 – 58 for the second wicket between Reyan Hassan Ali (22) and keeper Junaid Majid (38) and 55 for the seventh between Mohammed Abdullah Iqbal (46) and Naeem Ishaq (32).

Crompark were looking good for the win at 114-2 but then lapsed to 151-5 and 156 all out, with Haseeb Majid taking 3-41 and Imran Kamal 5-25.

Keighley’s match at home to Bowling Baptist on Sunday was abandoned due to rain after the hosts had made 145.

Sutton II stretched their lead over Bowling Baptist II in Division Four as the latter’s game at home to Glusburn II could not beat the weather.

Silsden II were inserted at home to Sutton and made 134-6, with Hugh Sugden again leading the way with 66 not out, adding 47 unbroken with Dan Jones (10no).

Jack Middleton bagged 3-33, and it was then over to Sutton’s skipper Craig Thornton, whose 84 not out took them to a five-wicket victory in 37 overs.

Thornton his 13 fours and a six and added 77 for the third wicket with Ali Hussain (26).

Bradley II only had nine men at Menston Crompark II, so credit to the visitors for getting the game played, and they came close to victory too.

Crompark, sent in, made 190-8 declared, with Amer Khan taking 3-39.

Bradley replied with 166, with captain Harry Andrews (31), Awais Azeem (46), Jumar Ali (23), Charlie Andrews (24) and Matthew Speak (27no) all getting starts.

Long Lee II were at home to Airedale II but it proved a mismatch as the former were skittled for 41 inside 12 overs, with Liam Gordon taking 4-11 and Paul Feather 5-9.

Airedale won by eight wickets in the eighth over.

Denholme’s match at Hepworth & Idle III did not start because of the weather.