12-08-2025
Gargrave recover strongly to claim victory despite shoddy start
GARGRAVE recovered from the shock of losing Brad Gardner to the first ball of the match, and fellow opener Will Smith when there was only seven on the board, to defeat Hepworth & Idle in Timothy Taylor's Craven League Division One.
Keeper John Beckwith was instrumental in the hosts posting 276-9, scoring 94 off just 100 balls, including 13 fours and two sixes.
He added 82 for the third wicket with Matt Simpson (52) and 149 for the fourth with Dave Harrop (93), who was also out in the nervous nineties.
Simpson hit nine fours and a six in his 47-ball stay, while Harrop faced a mere 71 balls and hit 16 fours.
George Beckwith's 23 helped the score over 250, but Gargrave were likely to lose when the Westfield Laners were 205-4.
However, George Beckwith and, particularly, Gardner (4-30) pegged Hepworth & Idle back so successfully that they were dismissed for 247 in 43.3 overs, leaving Gargrave winners by 32 runs.
They are fourth on 167 points, eight points and one place behind Silsden, who won a low-scoring contest at Cowling.
The Cobbydalers chose to bat and made 140, which was an improvement on 66-5, stands of 29 and 35 getting them over three figures, led by keeper Tom Greenwood's 32.
Five Cowling bowlers took wickets, but only three batters made it into double figures, led by Martyn Dalby (42) and opener Wasim Hussain (22) as they slumped to 94 all out, Kieran Lawrence taking 4-3 from 7.5 overs and Mohsan Gulbhar 4-12 from six.
Glusburn are sixth after a Matt Lloyd ton carried them to a six-wicket victory at Airedale, who made 204-6 after being sent in.
Opener Lloyd then batted through the visitors' innings to finish on 106 not out after facing 143 deliveries, hitting 18 fours.
He added 135 for the second wicket with Brad Juliff (41) before Ryan Ridehalgh hit a quickfire 28, Glusburn passing the winning post in the 43rd over.
Basement boys Bradley were no match for improving Bowling Baptist at Matthew Lane, being dismissed for 72 after being sent in, the vast majority of their runs being scored by opener Naseeb Ali (31) and captain Juni Ashraf (24).
Baptist won by eight wickets in the 14th over, Akeel Rashid (2-15) taking both wickets.
Sutton continue to lead Division Two after a 68-run triumph at Skipton CI.
Matt Walker was out first ball after Sutton won the toss and batted, but Sam Solley (30) and No 3 Dave Snowden (105) then put on 76 for the second wicket.
Snowden was out after facing 134 balls and hitting 11 fours and two sixes, Qamar Zulfiqar bagging 3-44.
CI were soon 22-6 and did well to reach 128, thanks to No 8 Muhammad Sabeel (46) and No 9 Tanveer Hussain (41), Josh Gill (6-38) taking wickets at either end of the innings, Sam Smith (2-16) also causing that early shutter of wickets.
Thornton-in-Craven are still in the mix in third, 12 points behind Haworth, after defeating Long Lee, who were sent in at Booth Bridge Lane but could only make 145, Joe Wolfe taking 4-43.
Any doubts about a home win were stilled by a partnership of 49 for the second wicket between keeper Jonny Martin (30), who had earlier taken his pads off to bag 2-27, and Shane Taylforth, who then put on 50 with Jordan Jackson (12).
Taylforth's innings ended with 72 runs off 53 deliveries, including 14 fours and two sixes, and Thornton won by four wickets in just the 26th over.
Silsden II had a comfortable win over visitors Denholme, who were back in the pavilion for 112 after being sent in, Lewie Fitton (5-27) and Ben Sugden (3-20) doing the damage.
Sugden then saw the job through with 39 not out, putting on 71 for the first wicket wth Tommy Miller (40), Lewis Middleton (22no) adding 36 with Sugden as they won by seven wickets in the 16th over.
Cowling II had a day to forget at Wilsden, being dismissed for 106 after they opted to bat, captain Majid Iqbal shining with 37, No 11 Mohammed Abdullah Iqbal (19no) ensuring that they topped 100.
Wilsden then won on the 17th over for the loss of just one wicket.
It was the opposite way round for Wilsden at second-team level in Division Three, who were bowled out for 90 at leaders Gargrave II after being asked to bat.
Ben Wood (4-36) and Stuart Weatherill (3-28) did the earlier damage, Will Storr nipping in to take 2-9.
Gargrave lost opener Richard Bell and No 3 Wood for contrasting ducks, but opener Neil Dibb (22no) held firm, adding 71 with Dominic Ferneyhough (46) as they won by seven wickets inside 20 overs.
Second-placed Cononley also had a convincing win, dismissing Bradford & Bingley for 103 after winning the toss, with Colin Stead taking 4-21, Herbie Starkey 3-32 and Oliver Batey 2-0.
A second-wicket partnership of 62 between opener Will Oakden (31) and captain Andrew Starkey (37) set Cononley on their way to a six-wicket triumph, which was achieved in the 24th over.
Skipton CI II kept the pressure on in third by dismissing Bowling Baptist II for 127 at Scotchman Road after winning the toss, Cody Hird taking 3-43, Sefal Allam a remarkable 3-5 in 12 overs and Aneesh Babu 3-30.
Opener Ajmal Choudhry then scored 50 and No 3 Tariq Ghani 32 , Danyal Iqbal (18no) seeing CI to a hard-fought three-wicket win in the 36th over.
Sutton II had a similar contest at home to Bradley II, who made 166 after being sent in, captain Chris Kimberley's 47 being the stand-out innings as Charlie Whitaker (4-19) mopped up both him and the tail.
A stand of 62 between George Elrick (39) and skipper Craig Thornton (52no) carried Sutton well on the road to victory, which they achieved by three wickets in the 40th over, Henry Meynell taking 3-56 and Charlie Andrews 3-36.
Glusburn II are now 28 points off a promotion place in Division Four after losing at home to second-placed Bingley Congs III, who scored 188 after winning the toss, with Tahir Mehmood (3-50) and Umar Dar (3-35) among the wickets.
Opener Dave Henson (29) and Amir Javed (39) then made the only significant contributions after tea as the hosts were dismissed for 121.
