Steeton clinch promotion with three games to spare (From Craven Herald)

Steeton clinch promotion with three games to spare

10:54am Thursday 25th August 2011 in Craven League

Steeton clinched promotion from Division Two with three matches still to play after they took four points from Menston.

Shane MacNamara (60) and David Robinson (58) were the top scorers as Steeton set a target of 234-9 with John Storey (5-58) and Charlie Dracup (4-109) picking up the wickets.

Ross Suri took 5-45 in the reply but Adam Campion (74) and Ian Thomas (41) made sure Menston collected two points that could prove invaluable in their battle to stay up.

Menston are now just three points adrift of Upper Wharfedale whose match with Calverley was abandoned due to rain.

When play was halted the match was evenly poised. Calverley were 157-6 in reply to Upper Wharfedale’s 189 with nine overs remaining.

Steve Pearson was spearheading Upper Wharfedale’s bid for a vital win with 5-59.

Zarshad Khan (84), Waqas Ahmed (46) and Craig Thornton (40) top scored in Silsden’s 238-7 but it wasn’t enough to deny Bardsey all six points and the Division Three title.

Skipton’s good form with the bat continued but they had to settle for a winning draw against bottom-of-the-table Alwoodley after failing to bowl their opponents out.

Openers Kieran Williams (43) and Steve Carling (58) set the tone for the Skipton innings Gary Owen also weighed in with 58 as Skipton compiled a score of 237-8 despite the efforts of Jonathan Sykes 5-82.

Alwoodley were clinging on for the draw at 182-8 when their overs expired.

Adam Trunks was their top scorer with 74 while Patrick Slater made 33.

Ben Holderness was the pick of Skipton’s bowlers as he returned figures of 3-23.