THORNTON-in-Craven have been promoted from Division Three of the Mewies Solicitors Craven League.

They have 331 points with three matches left but only need another three points to be certain of being champions.

Cononley missed a chance to put promotion pressure on their rivals by going down to visitors Gargrave in a superb contest.

This was tough luck on Andrew Starkey, who followed his 137 against Wilsden II with 147 not out.

Only three team-mates reached double figures in Cononley’s 227-8, with Harry Parker and Ihsanulla Daulatzia both scoring 15 and keeper Willie Naylor 12 not out in an unbroken partnership of 113.

Dieter Kayley (2-11) was the best of seven Gargrave bowlers.

There was no chink in the armour in Gargrave’s reply, however, with seven of the top eight making 20 or above in their 229-6, although it did take them until there were two balls left to triumph.

Tom Vernon (52) and Edward Stanley (25) added 80 for the first wicket, and the runs kept coming from Kieran Ashley (32), Tom Storr (20), Tony Spensley (27), Adam Hudson (24no) and Kayley (23no).

Oakworth II’s decision to bat backfired at home to Cowling II as they only scored 89 as Haseed Hanif took 4-15 and Danyal Mahmood 2-13.

Cowling were in no hurry in their reply, triumphing by four wickets in the 33rd over, with Ajmal Choudhry scoring a solid 23 and Yasser Chatta 19.

Skipton CI II’s 118 at Hepworth & Idle II was front-loaded with four of their top five reaching double figures, led by opener Mel Seward (31) and Jiblin Jacob (20).

The hosts won by four wickets in tne 27th over, despite Sefal Allam (2-32) and Paul Smith (2-19),

Silsden are one of four clubs fighting for the runners-up berth behind champions Riddlesden alongside Eldwick & Gilstead, Long Lee and Glusburn.

Joshua Waind played a key role in Silsden’s 49-run win at bottom club Airedale.

Firstly the opener scored 39 in the Cobbydalers’ 168 and then took 4-27 as the hosts were dismissed for 119.

Waind added 48 for the second wicket with Ben Sugden (25), while keeper Tom Greenwood (21), Mohsan Gulbhar (20) and Tom Bradley (28) kept the runs coming down the order.

Only four Airedale reached double figures in an innings that was dominated by captain and keeper Alec Pue, who scored 53.

Sugden backed up his batting with 4-21.

Glusburn were tested at Bradley, who were castled for 62 after winning the toss, Shahbaz GullBahar (18) top-scoring against a potent four-pronged visiting attack.

Irfan Khaliq (3-23), Cody Hird (2-22), Dom Mortimer (2-4) and James Tillotson (2-7) did the damage, but Glusburn were in dire straits themselves at 11-5 after Toby Meynell (5-17) got to work.

It needed Mortimer (15no) to see the derby visitors home in 14.2 overs, aided by Khaliq (13).

Skipton CI lost a superb contest by seven runs to Foulridge at the Field of Dreams.

Foulridge had three players hitting sixties in their 237-8, with Tariq Ghani doing well to take 4-21.

CI had four players scoring 30 or over in their reply of 230-8, led by Rob Cockell (50), Danny Smith (49), Sam Smith (42) and Ghani (30).

Sutton’s winning streak of three matches in Division One is over, but they tested leaders Bingley Congs, only going down by 18 runs at Beckfoot Lane.

Congs had an opening stand of 73 but could only total 139 as change bowlers Sam Solley (4-27) and Ben Middleton (4-31) got to work.

Sutton lost stand-in opener Tony Walton - David Snowden was not playing - early but Solley (32) and Sachin Abraham (38) then put on 63.

Jack Middleton (13) and George Elrick (15) also got double figures but 115-3 became 121 all out, with Sutton losing their last three wickets without addition.

Ingrow were indebted to Mo Chowdhory’s 71 for posting anything like a score at Cowling.

He scored more than half of their 140 as Hamid Ullah (3-40) led the home attack.

Martyn Dalby (36) got the hosts’ total going and they were helped to a six-wicket win by Daud Khan (27), Naqi Hassan (44no) and captain Laiq Ur Rehman (16no) after John Duffey (2-17) had ruffled some feathers.

In Division Four, Saturday’s matches were a disappointment, with Glusburn II one of those conceding, to Hepworth & Idle III.