GARGRAVE’S second XI have become the first winners of a new knockout competition in the Mewies Solicitors Craven League.

They defeated Silsden II by three wickets in the John Clayton Cup final at Haworth Road Meths.

The Cobbydalers, sent in, made a fine start with a first-wicket stand of 55 between Hugh Sugden (33) and 13-year-old Archie Cox (19).

Keeper James Nelson (18) and Finlay Nixon Snowden (24no) chipped in but Silsden subsided from 93-2 to 143, with Ben Wood (3-13) cleaning up the tail after Giles Winterton (3-20) had caused damage in the middle order.

Gargrave were in bother at 24-4 and 49-5 but their innings was rescued by a sixth-wicket stand of 62 between keeper Dominic Ferneyhough (61), who was man of the match, and Adam Hudson (22), Wood (19) helping them to victory in the 35th over.

Bilal Mahmood dismissed both Hudson and Wood on his way to 4-31, while Cox bowled two superb spells to return 1-10 off his eight overs.

In Division One, second-placed Cowling defeated Eldwick & Gilstead by six wickets, making it five losses in six completed matches for the twin villages.

Visitors E&G chose to bat but only four made it into double figures.

However, their contributions were good enough for 122 out of their 164, with Connor Brown (3-27) and Danish Hameed (3-28) among the wickets.

Cowling were always in control of the reply, with all six of their batters reaching double figures, topped by Laiq Ur Rehman (46no), who saw them home in the company of Wasim Hussain (26no) after skipper Martyn Dalby had made 26 and keeper Rahman Ali 30.

Mid-table Gargrave became the latest victims of Riddlesden at Grange Road, Ben Howlett doing well to take 2-25 in the leaders’ 161-8, with Matty Simpson bagging 3-51.

The visitors, 11-4 in reply, had a sniff while either Dom Kay (37) or captain Will Smith (53) were at the wicket but the other nine only contributed 28 runs between them in a 43-run defeat.

Bottom-of-the-table Sutton suffered a damaging loss at home to Denholme by 50 runs, putting them 19 points behind their Keighley rivals, who are second from bottom.

Denholme made 157-8 after choosing to bat, Ben Middleton taking 5-57, but skipper David Snowden’s 32 was the best in the reply of 107 as they collapsed from 61-2.

The promotion race in Division Two is becoming a four-horse race between Airedale (152 points), Glusburn (151), Bradley (150) and Thornton-in-Craven (143).

No 8 Dave Henson’s 45 helped Glusburn to 147 at Ingrow after being sent in, with opener Danny Ridehalgh having earlier made 28.

Only two Ingrow men made double figures in their disappointing reply of 68 as Irfan Khaliq swept through them with 7-29.

Bradley also had a comfortable afternoon, defeating visitors Long Lee by six wickets after dismissing them for 139, with the wickets being shared between seven bowlers.

Opener Mohammad Qadeer (67) then took Bradley a long way towards victory, hitting 10 fours and a six, with Toby Meynell (45no) giving fine support.

Thornton-in-Craven rolled over Bradford & Bingley III for 83 at Booth Bridge Lane, with Davd Wolfe taking 5-27.

Rob Cockell, who is having an excellent season with the bat, then scored 45 not out off 50 balls, including eight fours and a six, as the hosts won by eight wickets inside 17 overs.

Skipton CI gained a much-needed victory at Silsden, but it was tight.

CI batted first and made 156, which was chiefly down to Tariq Ghani (45), Muhammad Sabeel (35) and Qamar Zulfiqar (22) as the in-form Josh Waind took 3-18, Bilal Mahmood 2-24 and Ahsan Rizwan 2-27.

Silsden looked nailed on for victory when their openers Waind (73) and Jack Lister (27) put on 104, with Waind’s runs coming off only 59 balls and including 12 fours and a six.

However, once the wickets started falling there was a domino effect and the Cobbydalers fell five runs short at 151, with Zulfiqar bagging 5-26 and Tanveer Hussain 4-21.

Silsden are now 16 points from safety with seven weeks to go.

Cononley haven’t won on the field since July 1 and, after rain got the better of them at home to Cowling II, are giving third-placed Bingley Congs III hope of overhauling them.

Cowling made 198 after winning the toss, with No 7 Shahid Hassan making 64, No 9 Ubaid Rauf chipping in with 27 as Willie Naylor took 4-50.

Cononley were 142-7 with five overs eft when the match ended, opener Herbie Starkey having made 69 and No 7 David Turner 22, with Haseeb Majid bagging 4-40.

Gargrave II lost by 100 runs at home to leaders Bowling Baptist, who made 180-8, despite Will Storr’s 3-36.

The hosts never threatened that score, with only four players making double figures.

Skipton CI II rolled over Keighley III for 34 , with Matt Ryder taking 5-12 and Danayl Iqbal 3-11.

CI had earlier made 155-9, Sohail Choudary’s 52 not out off 38 balls, including eight fours and a six, being a highlight.

Sutton II continue to lead Division Four, making 158-7 after being sent in at Glusburn II, with skipper Craig Thornton and Stuart Tillotson both scoring 30 as Basharat Hussain took 3-34.

Glusburn were 53-2 but collapsed to 84 to Alistair Wallace (4-16), Jaison Joseph (2-10) and Ali Hussain (2-11).

Silsden II saw off Hepworth & Idle III by nine wickets at Cambing, after dismissing them for 82, with TJ Berry bagging 3-14 and Harry Eastbury 3-11.

Keeper James Nelson then scored 45 not out as Silsden won by nine wickets after 13 overs.

Bradley II won by 25 runs at Long Lee II, with Abdul Rehman’s 85 standing out in the visitors’ 193 as he hit 16 fours and a six.

Captain Harry Andrews weighed in with 32, while No 10 Amer Khan made an unbeaten 26.

Charlie Andrews (4-39) and Matthew Speak (3-50) then took wickets at the beginning and end of Long Lee’s innings as they were dismissed for 168.