DEFENDING champions Oakworth are off the mark in Division One of the Mewies Solicitors Craven League at the fourth attempt.

However, they did it in style in a high-scoring encounter at home to Cowling, opener Gareth Marshall hitting a majestic 182 not out, which included 19 fours and five sixes, in their 302-4, Joel Gallagher being the next highest scorer with 31.

The Coliseum side made a decent fist of their reply, though, by scoring 261-7, with Ajmal Choudrhy (58), Ben Davy (57no) and Shahid Hussain (56) being the main contributors as Adam Smith took 3-39.

Haworth, now with four wins out of four, continue to head the table.

They travelled to Denholme and dismissed them for 118, with Richard Taylor making 39 and Damian Rowell taking 4-31.

The Bronte side then galloped home by nine wickets, with Jamie Rowell (53no) and Pete Gower (47) putting on 102 for the first wicket.

Bingley Congs are second, two points behind, after they demolished Foulridge by nine wickets at Noyna.

Neil Copping took 4-11 as the hosts were castled for 101 before Andrew Copping and Chris Dibb both scored 32 not out and Sam Porter 31.

Sutton sprang a surprise when they won by two wickets at Haworth Road.

The Baildon Bottom side could only muster 124, with Chris Griggs making 40 as James McDonald took 7-41.

The Royd Mill side were then indebted to skipper Craig Thornton, who made 56 not out and shepherded the tail to the points as Muhammed Zahid took 5-22.

There was another close finish at Street Lane.

Ingrow St John’s made 157, with Imran Zaman hitting 30 as Jim O’Hara (4-37) and Vikram Bakshi (3-26) did most of the damage.

Visitors Crossflatts crept home by one wicket, with Nathan Bradbury scoring 59 and his younger brother Alex 35 not out as Wasim Hussain claimed 4-29 and Habib Aslam 3-44.

Embsay registered their second win of the season – by two wickets against Riddlesden at Grange Road – chiefly thanks to 17-year-old Elliot Stockton.

Zahid Mahmood (41) and Naveed Hussain (38) helped the hosts to 167, with Stockton taking 4-23 and Scott Robinson 4-47.

Stockton then made 63 as the Shires Laners got home with just four balls to spare.

In Division Two, Neil Andrews scored the 24th league century of his career.

His 162 not out, to go with Craig Tempest's 55 and Chris Capstick's 46, helped Bradley make a massive 292-6. Sadly for them this wasn’t enough as visitors Ingrow St John’s II stormed to victory by seven wickets, Muhammed Asim scoring 102 not out, Abid Hussain 64, Amad Ali 52 and Talib Hussain 47 not out.

Wilsden lead the table by three points, bowling out hosts Airedale for 137, with Mathew Cox making 47 as Rafaquat Mahmood took 3-30.

Wilsden then built on an 86-run first-wicket partnership to canter home by eight wickets, with Colin Bottomley hitting 80 not out and David Henson 25.

Hepworth & Idle dropped to second after losing at Haworth Road II.

The Westfield Lane side made 183-7, with Simon McDermott top-scoring with 70 and Chris Hawksworth making 59 as Andy Maude took 3-45.

The Baildon Bottom side romped home by seven wickets, with Waj Mahmood making 85 not out and Jacob Jagger 68.

Ben Bright's 43, together with 20 by No 10 Aaron Pearce, helped Ingrow to 140 at home to previously undefeated Oakworth II, who then slumped to 112, with Dan Scott taking 5-12 and Chris Herbert 4-25.

Thornton posted 239-7 but visitors Glusburn galloped to a nine-wicket victory in the 35th over thanks to a superb 152 not out by Matthew Lloyd (27 fours, four sixes) and 57 by Neil Freeman.

Division Three leaders Long Lee maintained their 100 per cent record after beating Gargrave by six wickets in a low-scoring game at Skipton Road.

The home side were shot out for just 51, with Shahbaz Ahmed taking 6-11.

Sandy Lane are second, two points behind, after beating Skipton CI by 64 runs at Sandylands.

The Greenwood Park side posted 191, with Shahbaz Ahmed scoring 70 and Zahir Shah 48 as Alex Horsfield claimed 5-59.

In CI’s reply of 127, Martin Seward made 44 as three bowlers took three wickets.

The usual free-scoring Cononley batsmen were restricted to 145 by Bingley Congs II as Jimmy Dennison took 5-40. The Beckfoot Laners side perished for 110, however, with Rick Andrews making 38 not out as Herbie Starkey took 4-38.

Only Dan Kernan (17) reached double figures as ten-man Riddlesden II were dismissed for a paltry 45, with Matthew Sharp taking 5-9. Bradford & Bingley III sauntered home without loss.

Paul Wormald (5-21) and Simon Holt (4-30) undid Eldwick & Gilstead for 110 at Shires Lane, Embsay II strolling home for the loss of two wickets, with Dominic Kay making 64 not out and 14-year-old Max Walker 32 not out.

Crossflatts II’s 233-8 was just 14 too many for Denholme II at Ryshworth Park.

In Divisions Four and Five, Sutton won by two runs at Haworth II.

Andy Fountain (61) and Carl Jopson (33) were the mainstays of the Royd Hill side's 157 before Danny Spencer made a fighting 75 as Jopson (4-25) and George Blackwell (3-24) kept things in check.

Bingley Congs III managed 80 thanks to 'Mr Extras', who contributed 28 at Bronte Fields as Tim Rudden took 4-10. Visitors Bradley II knocked the runs off for the loss of two wickets, with Elliott Wilson making 34 not out.

Peter Hatton (37) and Matt Phillips (8no) put on a valuable 48 for Cononley II's last wicket at home to Ingrow II to take them to 153 as Dale Hoyle took 3-29 and Adie Weatherill 3-32.

The Hainworth side could only manage 99 in reply, with Hatton taking 5-33 and Callum Jones 3-11.

Gargrave II’s visit to Long Lee II ended in a one-run defeat, while Sandy Lane II lost by 13 runs to Airedale II at Greenwood Park.

Wilsden II entertained Skipton CI II and walloped them by 124 runs.

The Windy Grove side made 171-9, with Gareth Wright scoring 37, Neil Jagger 32 and Eshan Younas 31 not out as Tariq Ghani took 5-28.

The Sandylands side were then hustled out for 47, with Sefal Allam top-scoring with 15, followed by 'Mr Extras' on 13 as Younas took 5-5 in seven overs.