Silsden CC set for John Clayton Cup final with Gargrave

They will meet in the John Clayton Cup decider at Haworth Road Meths on Sunday, July 30.

Silsden opener Hugh Sugden played the sheet-anchor role when they won the toss in their semi-final at home to Skipton CI II, batting through the 40 overs for 56 not out.

He put on 50 for the second wicket with Bilal Mahmood (28) but the real impetus in the innings came when keeper James Nelson strode to the crease.

He scored an unbeaten 110 off just 74 balls, including 17 fours and three sixes, and added 150 for the third wicket with Sugden in a total of 232-4.

CI’s reply of 170 was dominated by two men – Sean Williamson (40) and Steven Davidson (76), with the next highest scorer making nine.

They added 90 for the fifth wicket but the skids were put under their innings by Alex Nelson (4-41), Mahmood (2-31) and TJ Berry (3-21).

Sutton chose to bat in the other semi-final at Royd Hill, but although three players got into the twenties, no-one did better than Theo Reay’s 26 not out in their 159-7, with skipper Craig Thornton scoring 24 and Ali Hussain 25.

Gargrave stuttered in reply, going from 65-0 to 69-3 but were seen home inside 30 overs by Kieren Ashley (19no) and Dieter Kayley (12no) after Will Peryer had scored 27, Tom Horsley 24 and Tom Darwin 18.

The highest scorer in Gargrave’s innings, however, was Mr Extras with 53, 44 of which were wides.

In Division One, leaders Cowling (110 points) slipped to only their second league defeat of the season and slipped to third in the table behind Riddlesden and Haworth, who both have 112, although Riddlesden have a game in hand.

It was tight for Cowling at Haworth Road Meths, however, who won the toss and made 182, with Martyn Dalby taking 3-55 and Danish Hameed 4-17.

Cowling looked out of it but were revived by No 6 Dalby (73) and No 7 Darab Khan (38), only to fall 11 runs short.

Fifth-placed Gargrave had a comfortable afternoon, winning by six wickets at Denholme, who did well to make 127, having been 15-3 but then collapsing from 103-4.

George Beckwith (4-34) and Dave Harrop (3-31) were Gargrave’s leading wicket-takers, and then it was over to openers Lee Barrett (33) and Brad Gardner (25) before skipper Will Smith’s unbeaten 31 saw the visitors home.

Sutton have dropped to the bottom after their batters misfired at home to Haworth, with only openers Sam Solley (30) and Dave Snowden (18) making double figures in their 82, putting on half of that total in partnership.

Haworth won by 10 wickets by the end of the 18th over, leaving Sutton (33) four points behind Denholme.

In Division Two, leaders Glusburn were the latest side to feel the force of Hepworth & Idle’s second XI, losing by 55 runs at Westfield Lane.

The first part of Glusburn’s bowling stint went superbly as they reduced the hosts to 22-5 but then a remarkable knock of 127 not out by No 7 Martin McCulley took them to 247, with Irfan Khaliq (3-52) and Brett Parkin (4-61) causing the early damage.

Matt Lloyd (43) added 55 for the second wicket with captain Steve Brown (26), and keeper Pete Schofield weighed in with 21, but Glusburn could only make 192 in what was only their second league defeat of the season.

Silsden II held their nerve at Airedale, last pair Dan Jones (2no) and Alex Nelson (4no) adding the six needed to give them a one-wicket win.

Inserted, Airedale made 143-8, with Joshua Waind taking 4-34, and keeper Tom Greenwood then gave Silsden a chance by making 65, Will Pullen chipping in with 24.

Thornton-in-Craven had a fine win at Long Lee, who made 245 after being sent in, with Mark Laycock taking 3-39 and Jack Laycock 3-37.

The in-form Rob Cockell then set the visitors on the way to a three-wicket win in the 41st over by adding 95 for the second wicket with Scott Howarth-Hynes (40).

Cockell scored 72 off 61 balls, including 14 fours and a six, but was almost overshadowed by Tom Cleaver, whose unbeaten 72 came off 66 balls and contained nine fours.

Jack Laycock (43no) helped him add 114 unbroken.

Bradley won a low-scoring derby by three wickets at home to relegation-threatened Skipton CI, who were indebted to No 7 Darren Pighills (35no) in their 119, Mohammed Qadeer taking 4-12.

Iklaq Ahmed (28no) and Tom Eaglesfield (13no) then saw Bradley home with an unbroken stand of 44 after Akeel Rashid had made 20, Waqar Shabir taking 3-18.

Bowling Baptist and Cononley continue to have a healthy lead at the head of Division Three, with the latter disposing of visitors Keighley III in short order.

Keighley were dismissed for 103, with Tom Feather taking 5-23 and Harry Parker 2-17.

Feather (35no) and Nathan Parker (38no) then saw Cononley to an eight-wicket victory inside 17 overs.

Gargrave II are in the mix for third place after a convincing win over third-placed Bingley Congs III, who were dismissed for 70 at Sandy Lane, with Will Storr returning outstanding figures of 8-25, backed up by Ben Wood (2-37).

The visitors lost four wickets themselves but were seen to the winning post by Dom Kay (31no) and Dieter Kayley (20no).

Cowling II needed a win and got it at struggling Haworth II, who lost wickets in clumps in being dismissed for 132, Sajid Shafait leading the Cowling attack with 4-45.

Rayan Hassan Ali (29) and Haseeb Majid (31) then helped Cowling to a four-wicket win.

Skipton CI II, who only have Haworth II and Wilsden II below them in the table, could not give Bowling Baptist much of a contest at Sandylands.

Matt Ryder (3-51), Rashid Mahmood-Taj (2-20) and Mozzam Khan (2-43) shared the wickets in Baptist’s 229-8 before CI were skittled for 71, with only Tariq Ghani (16) and Edwin Sebastian (11) reaching double figures.

Runaway Division Four leaders Silsden II won a low-scoring contest at home to Long Lee II, with Hugh Sugden’s 50 being vital to Silsden’s 126-7, young Archie Cox weighing in with 21.

Then Toby Cunningham (4-10) and Berry (2-2) gained a stranglehold on the home batters, helping to dismiss them for 62.

New boy Pete McMahon had a day to remember for Glusburn II at Menston Crompark II, making 97 as the visitors totalled 181-4, adding 51 for openers with captain Alan Coney (17), 42 for the second wicket with Umar Dar (22) and 56 for the third with Amir Javed (31).

Crompark made a decent fist of their reply but ended on 154 as Dar took 3-25, Cody Hird 2-33, Tilaat Ahmed 2-34 and Coney 2-5.

Bradley II were given a walkover by Denholme II.