Defending champions Riddlesden suffer first league defeat

The Grange Road club, who are bidding for their four league title in as many seasons, suffered their first league defeat of the campaign on Saturday at home to newly-promoted Bradley.

The visitors chose to bat, but were dismissed for 93, being unable to capitalise on an opening stand of 35.

Arfan Mahmood scored 41 and Mohammed Ishtiaq 25, but in general Riddlesden could not cope with the outstanding Toby Meynell, with the 20-year-old’s analysis being 12-6-12-5, his new-ball partner Zain Naeem taking 4-43.

Skipper Dave Hunt then scored an unbeaten 36, Iklaq Ahmed hitting 42 not out as Bradley had stands of 39 and 55 unbroken in a nine-wicket victory, achieved in the 21st over - a win which put them up to sixth.

Cowling have improved from fourth to third after a tight win at Wilsden.

Sent in, captain Martyn Dalby (46) added 53 for the second wicket with keeper Abid Sharif (44), although Cowling then lost their last five wickets for just 15 runs in setting a target of 156.

Wilsden, who are second from bottom, were looking good at 120-4, but lost their final six wickets for 24 to lose by 11 runs, Dalby completing a fine match by bagging 5-37, Hamid Ullah weighing in with 3-14.

Fifth-placed Glusburn, like Bradley, have settled in well after promotion and defeated second-placed Hepworth & Idle by 57 runs at Westfield Lane.

Umar Farooq was the key figure for the visitors, scoring 82 off 52 balls, including 12 fours and four sixes, and figuring in stands of 41 and 44 in their 192.

He then took 6-24, Irfan Khaliq bagging 3-17 as the home side recovered from 3-3 after the top three made ducks to finish on 135, Jonny Thompson (3-45 and 59) just losing the battle of the all-rounders.

Haworth are bottom on 24 points and must surely hope that brothers Damian and Jamie Rowell can play more often from here on in now that teenager Tom Rowell has left to join Ilkley.

Only keeper Pete Gower (10) reached double figures as Haworth were inserted at leaders Gargrave and dismissed for 37 inside 22 overs, Gargrave then winning by 10 wickets in 12.4 overs.

In Division Two, Silsden were beaten for the first time this season - by 85 runs in a top-of-the-table clash at Scotchman Road.

Dominic Mortimer took 4-51 as Bowling Baptists made 216, but only Rob Jones featured with the bat after tea, scoring 45 in the Cobbydalers’ 131 as they dropped to second.

Cononley fall one place to fourth after becoming the latest victims of resurgent Ingrow, who had the home side back in the pavilion for 128 after winning the toss, with third change Adam Hussain taking 6-36 and Shahid Ajmal 2-23.

Scott Brook (23), Herbie and Andrew Starkey (both 27) and skipper Harry Parker (25) proved a solid top four for the hosts, taking them to 104-2, but then the wheels fell off and they lost their last six wickets for 24.

Ingrow, who are now sixth, then had no alarms in winning by six wickets in 32 overs, despite Herbie Starkey taking 3-31 as openers Matt Courtman (22) and Toby Hartley (27) put on 45, Ajmal (18) and skipper Ben Weatherall (25no) then helping the Hainworth Lane side home.

Airedale are one place and two points worse off than their Keighley rivals after a comprehensive victory at Denholme, who are one point above a demotion berth.

The home side chose to field and opener Alec Pue top-scored with 30 in a solid card that helped Airedale to 150, despite Adam Taylor - the sixth bowler used - taking 4-25.

Denholme were then rolled over inside 23 overs, with Richard Taylor (22) and Adrian Shires (10) the only two in double figures as the hosts failed to defy Ijaz Shah (7-24) and Ahsan Rizwan (3-32).

Sutton are finally off the mark after being relegated last season, defeating Skipton CI by 81 runs at Royd Hill.

Ali Hussain (46) and fellow teenager Theo Reay (40) put on 60 for the fourth wicket in Sutton’s 184-7 after choosing to bat, keeper Oliver Gledhill (49no) then adding 49 unbroken with Sachin Abraham (16no).

CI were then toppled for 103, Abraham taking 4-24, David Snowden 2-5, Jack Middleton 2-14 and Aneesh Babu 2-20.

Sutton are still second from bottom, but are now part of a congested lower order with only 13 points separating them from Cononley (60).

Cowling II remain front-runners in Division Three after a 39-run victory at home to Sutton II, who drop from third to fourth.

Haseeb Majid (50), Reyan Hassan Ali (32) and skipper Sajid Shafait (23) were part of a solid-looking card as Cowling made 184-9 after opting to bat, 14-year-old Will Tedder taking 5-57.

Laurence Powell (47), who is 18, plus Josh Franklin and Dylan Hanson, who both made 21, were part of a strong start to Sutton’s reply, but only No 10 Will Tedder (18no) did well after that as the visitors were dismissed for 145.

Shafait took 3-23 to complete a fine match, but he was outshone in the all-rounder department by Majid (5-38).

Long Lee are second after a two-wicket victory at home to Keighley III, who made 97 after being sent in.

Five players made double figures, but none were better than teenager Harrison Butterfield’s 15 as Shahbaz Ahmed (4-13), Jonathan Green (3-12) and Yasser Chatta (2-28) held sway.

James Fulwood came to the crease when Long Lee were 49-6, but his unbeaten 29 proved the difference as the hosts won off the last ball of the 23rd over, despite Matt Mounsey taking 3-32 against his old club and Adris Akram 2-11.

Keighley III are now bottom by three points, but Silsden II climbed from sixth to third on the back of a seven-wicket victory at Gargrave II, who were one of the three sides that they leap-frogged, dropping to fifth.

The visitors chose to bowl, which proved the right decision as they had the hosts back in the pavilion for 98, Alex Nelson taking 4-13 from 9.1 overs.

Hugh Sugden (29no) then anchored the reply, Keenan Wozny (28) helping him to add 41 for openers as the target was passed in the 26th over.

Bradley II are second in Division Four, six points adrift of leaders Skipton CI II, after bagging 19 points from their victory at Airedale II.

The visitors made 174-6, opener Edward Washington (61, including three fours and a six) and Nasar Riaz (49) adding 98 for the fourth wicket, No 3 Mehmood Hussain weighing in with 25.

Tim Crossley, the seventh bowler used, had the best figures of 2-11, but only two Airedale players made double figures after tea as they were skittled for 48, with the outstanding Zafar Iqbal returning figures of 10-7-6-6, backed up by Donnacha Washington (4-22).

Airedale drop from fourth to seventh, but Glusburn II climbed two places to a distant third after a seven-wicket victory at home to Denholme II.

The visitors went from 91-5 to 104 all out as the wickets were shared around, with Guy Flanagan scoring 33, and Glusburn’s reply was solid, with Javed Akram scoring 29, Umar Dar 34 and captain Mark Pickles 28 not out as they triumphed with one ball of the 19th over remaining.

Haworth II climbed two places to fourth after a 35-run derby win over Long Lee II.

The Brontelanders’ top five all made double figures, led by opener Matt Wooding (39), Paul Stephens scoring 28 and 12-year-old Max Wareing 25 in their 155-6.

Long Lee only had four players in double figures in reply, with Frazer Atkinson (32), Ben Pennington (26) and skipper Richard Ayrton (21) leading the way in their 120, Wareing then bagging 3-3 to complete a great match, 14-year-old Zachary Fyfe-Gudgeon taking 3-17.