RIDDLESDEN need a maximum of 48 points from their last four matches to win Division One of the Mewies Solicitors Craven League, just one season after being crowned Division Two champions.

Hepworth & Idle were their latest victims at Grange Road, ending up on the wrong end of a Mohammed Zulfiqar whirlwind as the hosts scored 200-7 in a rain-truncated 35 overs.

It didn’t look like Riddlesden were going to score anywhere near that, despite opener Ehsan Khan making 32 and skipper Mohammed Gulnawaz 21.

However, No 9 Zulfiqar then cracked 63 not out in just 18 balls, hitting nine sixes and just one four, with Saquib Hussain (36no) being the silent partner in an unbroken partnership of 68.

The Westfield Laners could then make no more than 132-6 in reply, with Zahir Abbas (3-16) and Zaheer Abbas (2-12) being the best of a generally disciplined group of bowlers.

Second-placed Cowling, who are 33 points adrift, had a thumping home win.

Opener Rahman Ali (35) and Daud Khan (75) and Laiq Ur Rehman (42) in the middle order, scored the bulk of Cowling’s respectable 198 after they had been put in by Wilsden, who were then dismissed for 49 in 18 overs.

Cowling only used two bowlers, with Connor Brown taking 5-19 and Hamid Ullah 5-30.

Gargrave chose to bat at home to Sutton, and only Bradley Gardner (4) failed as they racked up 207-3.

Haworth went down by four wickets at Haworth Road Meths after being dismissed for 122, which was no great shakes after Jamie Rowell (24) and keeper Pete Gower (35) had put on 70 for the first wicket.

Only Charlie Jackson (20) then reached double figures for the 10-man visitors, Meths then winning in the 38th over, despite Jamie Rowell’s 2-26.

Denholme, who only picked up three points against Eldwick & Gilstead, are neck and neck with Wilsden, who bagged five, on 117 points, with only Sutton below them.

Choosing to bat, Denholme only made 117, with just Guy Flanagan (32) and Paul Armitage (18), who added 46 for the fifth wicket, making double figures.

Ryan Judson (2-33) and Mohammed Irfan (2-18) then took the only E&G wickets to fall as the target was reached in the 37th over.

Bradley are the new leaders of Division Two after they defeated Thornton-in-Craven, and Glusburn’s batting failed against Skipton CI.

Sending in Thornton proved a wise move at Matthew Lane as they were dismissed for 63 in 18.1 overs, with only Matt Bowker (15) making double figures as Toby Meynell took 7-19.

Iklaq Ahmed (42) and Meynell (21no) then added 60 as Bradley won by seven wickets in the 18th over.

Bradley are now 16 points clear of Glusburn, who only took one point from their derby at home to CI, who dismissed them for 59 after winning the toss.

Opener Matt Lloyd (18) and skipper Steve Brown (10) were the only two to trouble the scorers to any degree.

CI lost both openers cheaply but were seen home by skipper Danny Smith (32no) and Paul Mason (21no).

Third-placed Airedale (176) are just a point behind Glusburn (177) after defeating Long Lee in a low-scoring derby at Airedale Oval.

Captain Saqib Javaid (21) and Mathew Cox (32) scored the bulk of Airedale’s 98 after they won the toss, Adam Brookfield (13) being the only other player in double figures as the wickets were shared between Junaid Gullnawaz (3-11), Ian Roberts (3-26) and Yasser Chatta (3-32).

However, Long Lee were back in the pavilion for just 54, with only Chatta (20) and captain Tom Butterfield (11) keeping the scorers busy on the batting front as Calum Davies took 5-15 and Javaid 4-18.

Silsden, who defeated Bradford & Bingley III by nine wickets at Sandy Lane, continue to pull away from the danger zone.

Bingley, sent in, were dismissed for 100, having been 75-2, with Ahsan Rizwan taking 3-17, Bilal Mahmood 3-3 and Dom Mortimer 2-10.

The latter then scored 33 not out, with Robert Jones hitting 56 not out in an unbroken stand of 100 after captain Jack Roberts had fallen cheaply, with the target being reached with one ball of the 13th over remaining.

Ingrow are out of the relegation places, Long Lee taking their place, after a 79-run win at Hepworth & Idle II.

Captain Ben Weatherall (24) and Mo Chowdhory (42) set the tone for Ingrow with an opening stand of 63 after they had been sent in, but Tobias Hartley (70no) really gave the innings impetus on their way to 224.

He hit 12 fours and added 62 for the sixth wicket with Dan Fazackerley (23).

Hepworth & Idle were then dismissed for 145, with Atif Malik (3-30) and John Duffey (3-29) the best of seven bowlers used.

In Division Three, Cononley kept themselves within touching distance of leaders Bowling Baptist by thrashing Haworth II.

Visitors Cononley chose to bat and, buoyed by stands of 60 and 68 for the first two wickets, made an impressive 221-7.

The Starkey brothers, Herbie (36) and Andrew (81), opened proceedings before Nathan Parker (23) joined the latter, skipper Harry Parker (35) then weighing in in the middle order, adding 52 with Will Oakden (17).

Harry Parker (4-7) and Willie Naylor (5-14) then helped to skittle bottom-of-the-table Haworth for 29 inside 20 overs in a 192-run win, with only keeper Tom Loynes (12) making double figures.

Cowling II are still in a relegation berth after their defeat at Wilsden II, but the four bonus points that they picked up means that they are now just two points behind CI II, who are third from bottom.

Mohammad Ishaq (34) and Mohammad Abdullah Iqbal (21) top scored in Cowling’s 122 after they were sent in and Wilsden II won by five wickets.

Division Four leaders Sutton II made light of the target set by visitors Bradley II, who had scored 159-7 after being given first knock, which was disappointing after they were 105-2.

The top three of captain Harry (32) and Charlie Andrews (23) and Kaif Rehman (29) got the bulk of the runs before their tail wagged, Ali Hussain taking 3-26.

Skipper Craig Thornton (83no) again led from the front for Sutton, dominating an opening stand of 60 with Hussain (10) before Stuart Tillotson (19) helped him add 46, Charlie Whitaker (22no) then joining Thornton in an unbroken stand of 49 as the target was reached in the 32nd over.

Second-placed Silsden II, who are now 33 points behind Sutton II before they meet on Saturday, also had a comfortable win, defeating Glusburn II by 59 runs.

The Cobbydalers made 147-6 in their 40 overs, with Hugh Sugden (27), captain Tom Snowden (31) and keeper James Nelson (36) in the runs.

Basharat Hussain (43) dominated Glusburn’s reply of 88, adding 45 for the third wicket with Umar Dar (14) as Joe Hunt (6-16) finished them off.

There was a Keighley derby at Ingrow II, where Airedale II were the visitors, who chose to field and restricted the hosts to 120-9, runs coming in the middle of the innings, chiefly from Abid Hussain (32), Adam Millward (20), Manwar and Adam Hussain (both 18) and Ateeq Munir (17).

Asher Nutting (3-37) and Warren Coppack (3-21) were the chief wicket-takers, Paul Feather weighing in with 2-26, and Airedale’s top three then went a long way to securing a four-wicket win.

Tim Crossley (34), Joh Pollard (31) and Ralph Barraclough (20) did the damage with the bat to thwart Millward (4-36).

Bottom-of-the-table Long Lee II sent in visitors Hepworth & Idle III, who made 100, despite Dan Kernan (3-25), Neil Kennedy and Chris Mounsey (both 3-11).

Then only Phil Atkinson (17) and Aqib Chatta (19) made double figures as Long Lee were skittled for 65.