IT IS all change at the top of the Mewies Solicitors Craven League after a thrilling battle between the top two.

Leaders Cowling were put in Bingley Congs, who must have been wondering if they had made the right decision when the hosts posted 294-9.

That was largely down to three players – Laiq Ur Rehman (82), Naqi Hassan (73) and Zahid Hussain (60) – as Harry Greenhalgh (4-78) and Neil Copping (3-67) largely avoided the chaos.

Congs players, whether it was bravado or self-belief, were confident about their reply, however, and won by six wickets with 16 balls to spare.

Openers George Hicks (103) and Simon Bailey (34) set the tone with a 79-run stand, and Mohammad Adil (74) and Copping (52no) carried on the good work, with Adil and Hicks putting on 101 for the third wicket.

Congs are now the leaders by a point from Cowling, with Haworth a further point back in third, waiting for any slip-ups.

Embsay have dropped a place to seventh after losing at home to Barrowford, who made 194-9 after being put in, with Haroon Ali taking 3-32 and Sam Arkwright 3-47.

The Shires Laners were then dismissed for 88, and that was with a last-wicket stand of 33, as Jack Kitching and Scott Robinson both scored 22.

Second-from-bottom Sutton found run-scoring difficult at Wilsden and could only total 106-6 off their 40 overs, George Elrick top-scoring with 22.

Wilsden then won by nine wickets in 21.3 overs.

In Division Two, leaders Gargrave continued the misery for Bingley Congs II, dismissing them for 79 at Beckfoot Lane after sending them in, with Tom Goodwin returning the outstanding analysis of 8-4-7-5, backed up by Ben Howlett (2-10).

Gargrave then won by 10 wickets in the 15th over, with Lee Barrett 40 not out and Goodwin 27 not out.

Denholme and Bradley are equal second in Division Two, five points behind Gargrave.

Bradley took care of business at home to Eldwick & Gilstead, who won the toss and scored 131, with Vince Grant in deadly form with 5-18 and Zain Naeem taking 2-17.

Only two players made decent scores in the reply, but that was all Bradley needed, with opener Matt Buckmaster hitting 40 and Ibrar Ali 50 not out, which included six fours and a six as the target was reached in the 28th over.

Cononley may well go down, but at least they are showing some spirit, which was again in evidence as they made 172-5 at home to fourth-placed Skipton CI after being sent in.

Opener Scott Brook made 66 and featured in two half-century stands – 52 for the first with Herbert Starkey (28) and 58 for the third with Tom Feather (36).

CI were 17-3 and 71-6 in reply but won by one wicket halfway through the 37th over, despite Feather (5-51) and David Turner (2-5), with the last-wicket pair putting on 15 to see the Sandylanders home.

Sam Smith had earlier scored 38, but wicket-keeper Martin Seward’s was the key knock with 70 not out at No 8, made off just 65 balls and containing nine fours and three sixes.

He added 54 with Paul Mason (21) for the seventh wicket.

Silsden climbed a place to eighth, overtaking Airedale, after overcoming Barrowford II at the Bull Holme Oval.

The home side made 138, with Joe Sugden (5-26), Will Pullen (2-12) and Lewis Middleton (2-29) enjoying themselves.

Silsden then breezed home by seven wickets in the 28th over, largely due to Robert Jones (71no), Tom Snowden playing a supporting role with 23.

In Division Three, like in Division One, the top two met, with hosts Riddlesden emerging as easy winners over Embsay II.

The latter opted to bat but could only post 104, despite Alan Robinson scoring 30 and Henry Ellison