COWLING, who beat Wilsden by nine wickets, are now only a point behind Mewies Solicitors Craven League Division One leaders Bingley Congs, who lost their unbeaten record for the season by succumbing to Haworth.

Wilsden’s decision to bat backfired when they could only score 108 at Keighley Road as Naqi Hussain bagged 3-11 and Jalal Khan 2-10.

Then Cowling opener Wasim Hussain finished on 50 not out after 19.3 overs, with Mohammed Shah Usman 22 not out, skipper Martyn Dalby having earlier made 26.

Meanwhile, Embsay lost a thriller by two runs at home to Hepworth & Idle.

The Bradford-based club made 157-9, with Hammaad Hussain (4-32) and Arslam Hussain (4-35) taking the majority of the wickets.

Embsay could then make only 155-9, with Jack Kitching scoring 31 and Tom Robinson 39 not out.

The home side looked like winners at 92-4 and losers at 116-8 but almost pulled victory out of the fire thanks to a ninth-wicket stand of 37 between Robinson and Sam Keane (11).

Sutton, just outside the relegation places, were beaten by 73 runs at Barrowford.

The home side totalled 238-4, and Sutton could only reply with 165-8 after John French hit 43 and Craig Thornton 30 not out.

In Division Two, something had to give when unbeaten teams Denholme and Gargrave met.

Toby Priestley’s 136 was the backbone of Denholme’s 265-7, but Gargrave made just the start they wanted in reply with an opening stand of 80 via Lee Barrett (34) and Tom Goodwin, who followed his remarkable 5-25 by scoring 37.

However, they fell away to 153 all out.

Second-placed Denholme are now only two points behind Gargrave, with Bradley third after also racking up the runs.

They finished on 275-9 at home to toothless Bingley Congs II, with Junaid Ashraf hitting 97 and under-17 Toby Meynell 85 not out.

Ashraf smacked 17 fours and three sixes in his 84-ball stay, while Meynell hit 13 fours and two sixes in a 61-ball knock, with the duo adding 99 for the third wicket.

Ashraf and Zain Naeem (30) put on 67 for the fourth wicket before Congs’ second strings were toppled for 90, with Toby Meynell taking 3-25, his younger brother Henry 2-2, Vince Grant 3-20 and George Bell 2-38.

Skipton CI won by 31 runs at Long Lee after scoring 222-6, keeper Ian Henderson (68) putting on 89 for the first wicket with Ian Cockell (24).

Martin Chisnall then made 64 not out. Sam Smith then took 3-37 and Cockell 3-35 as Long Lee were dismissed for 191-8.

Silsden notched an important win over Bradford & Bingley III at Greenwood Park to pull themselves further away from the relegation spots.

The visitors were sent in and made a respectable 153-8, with Mohsan Gulbhar (46) and Andy Pullen (26) adding 55 for the fifth wicket,

Their hosts were then skittled for 75, with Joshua Waind returning the remarkable analysis of 10-5-7-5, Alec Nelson proving a good foil with 4-38.

Cononley have reached the halfway stage of the season without notching a win.

Their latest defeat came against Eldwick & Gilstead, who scored 116, despite Lewie Fitton taking 3-28, Ikram Daulatzia 2-14 and Tom Feather 2-25.

Only Harry Parker (30) and Scott Brook (17) then made double figures in the reply of 72.

In Division Three, Embsay II and Riddlesden are still neck and neck on 24 points.

Hepworth & Idle did not make a good job of batting after winning the toss at home to Embsay II, scoring only 117 as Dom Kay took 4-13, Stephen Speak 2-20 and Henry Ellison 2-25.

Duncan Ratcliffe (45no) then steered Embsay to a five-wicket victory.

Winless Sutton II lost by seven wickets at home to Glusburn I.

Sutton won the toss and batted, making 147 thanks to the reliable Nathan Coventry (35), captain Robert Tedder (50no) and Dylan Hanson (25), with the latter pair adding 55 for the sixth wicket.

James Tillotson bagged 3-24 and Tamoor Munir 3-50, and Glusburn then reached their target with ease, skipper Matt Lloyd leading the reply with 36 before Zaheer Abbas (44no) and keeper Pete Schofield (42no) added 85 unbroken.

Riddlesden, looking good for promotion, won a tough encounter at Thornton-in-Craven, making 212-7 after winning the toss and batting, with Jack Laycock taking 3-24.

The home side replied with 172 after being 170-7, with Tom Cleaver (48), keeper Jonny Martin (32) and Mark Laycock (24) doing best.

Wilsden II scored 164-7 at home to Cowling II, Danyal Mahmood taking 4-29, and Cowling II replied with 135, Qamar Zaman (53) putting on 51 for the first wicket with Steve Dalby (13), and Avijeet Ghosh hitting 20.

Much like Bingley Congs in Division One, Long Lee II imploded to lose their unbeaten record in Division Four.

Hosts Skipton CI II scored 175-7 after winning the toss, Will Shuttleworth again doing well with 56, backed up by John Stuttard (33), Steven Davidson (26) and Mel Seward (20), with Davidson and Shuttleworth adding 65 for the fifth wicket.

Then Frazer Atkinson (12) was the only visitor to reach double figures in Long Lee’s 42 all out as Matt Ryder took 5-14 and Shuttleworth 4-5.

Glusburn II made 171-7 after opting to bat but Airedale II breezed past that score in just the 29th over for the loss of two wickets.

Simon Frost (35) and Mark Johnston (39) helped hosts Glusburn get off to a decent start, Alan Coney (21) and Qasim Dar (21no) then weighing in down the order.

Gargrave II racked up 268-6 at home to Oakworth III, thanks to a magnificent 140 by Tony Spensley.

He hit an incredible 10 sixes and 10 fours, adding 156 for the third wicket with Edward Stanley (38) after the latter had put on 57 for the first wicket with his brother Will (32)

Oakworth III were then toppled for 78, with Tom Vernon bagging 4-18, Spensley 4-24 and Tim Warner 2-32.

Keighley III were granted a walkover by Bradley II.