Craven Cricket League round-up

The visitors were shot out for a mere 31 in just 20.1 overs, only D Hope reaching double figures and seven batsmen failed to trouble the scorers.

Peter Wrathmell did most of the damage with seven for 17 and Steve Carling took three for 12. Carleton were not held up for long as Adam Greenwood scored 31no in a nine wicket win.

Beaten finalists Oakworth also went through. Cowling found the going tough and struggled to 135 for seven, the highlight being a splendid knock of 71no by veteran Stephen Dalby.

Oakworth secured victory by seven wickets after 31 overs, thanks mainly to a belligerent 47 from Jason Lockley which included five sixes.

Haworth beat Chatburn by three wickets after the Ribblesdale side reached 158 for six, Ted Topham scoring 47no and J Braithwaite 46 and Jamie and Damian Rowell taking three wickets each.

The hero for Haworth was bowler Richard Godden, who hit 54no to lead his team to victory.

Upper Wharfedale made 167 for eight at Bradley, Jason Waddington leading the way with 48. Paul Wilkinson took five for 93 for Bradley but they could only muster 101 in reply with K Barton taking five for 35.

Keighley Tech were no match for Foulridge, who plundered 263 for seven, including Matthew Lutz's century. The Tech were swept aside for just 67, Ian Shoesmith making 34 of them without being dismissed while Mohammad Nawaz took a hat-trick in figures of five for 13.

Skipton CI are out of the competition after conceding 186 for six at home to Pendle Forest and being skittled out for 102, Nick Williamson faring best with 27.

A shock was on the cards at Victory Park where Barnoldswick III's youthful side under the guiding hand of an ageing Colin Maud held a formidable attack at bay. However runs were hard to find and the innings closed with the Barlickers on 75, Mick Bowker top scoring with 19.

What happened next was amazing as Long Lee's batsmen were trudging back to the hut with the score on 14 for five after 10 overs. Alas for Barlick, Chris Taylor and Buster Bailey steered them to victory without further loss, Bowker finishing with four for 19.

Barrowford made 140 for eight against Cononley, whose Geoff Iveson took three for 52. Cononley only reached 88 for eight at the close of their 45 overs.

There was tense match at Thornton, home to Embsay. The home side made 125 for nine thanks to Brian Laycock's 32no and Tim Gates' 26 against the three wickets of Steve Speak and Scott Robinson.

Embsay were 101 for three off 35 overs when David Hold was brought into the attack and took three quick wickets, including mainstay Duncan Bullough for 48 to set nerves tingling. It was left to Speak to clatter a boundary to give Embsay a three wicket win.

Ingrow St John's slumped to 62 all out at Glusburn, whose Andy Town took four for 28 and who then romped home by five wickets.

Gargrave smashed 311 for four at Haworth West End. There was a century for T Buckle and E Moorhouse fell agonisingly one run short of the ton. Dispirited West End were all out for 67, Moorhouse gaining some consolation with figures of seven for 22.

League matches

UPPER Wharfedale's seven wicket win over Carleton took them to the top of the Craven Cricket League on a day when sodden pitches were the norm.

However, play was not possible in just two matches and the new rule in which overs can be reduced due to a delayed start was put to good use.

Carleton made only 135 with Adam Greenwood and Graham Summersgill both scoring 32 and Justin Graham taking four for 41. In reply Wharfedale also struggled as they reached 26 for three before Graham, 62no and Paul Drinkall, 52no, saw them to the spoils.

Thornton are in second position, a point behind. They kept visiting Pendle Forest's batting stars under control. All got a start but then perished.

Ajmal Choudry top scored with 31 as Mark Proctor took six for 23 in 7.5 overs. Then Kevin Pollard held the innings together with a fine 62no as Thornton won by two wickets.

Barrowford, Embsay and Cowling are a further point behind.

Barrowford came away with a four wicket win over Sutton in a game reduced to 36 overs a side. Sutton made 122 for seven with Paul Hardaker scoring 57. Chris Hartley hit 34 and David Hartley 33 to go with his three for 38 as Barrowford reached 123 for six.

Previously unbeaten Cowling made 159 at home to Bradley. M Dudley scored 45 and Simon Spencer 43 as Neil Robinson claimed four for 39 and Tim Rudden four for 59.

Neil Andrews hit a stylish unbeaten 101 as Bradley coasted home by six wickets.

Embsay were made to fight all the way against Haworth. Put in to bat, the Bronte side found the wicket to their liking and romped to 109 for two. A collapse followed and they were 150 for nine before a last wicket stance took the total to 173, of which Stuart Ratcliffe scored 38 and Trevor Christian 33 as Stephen Speak took five for 37.

Embsay were wobbling at 63 for four when Alan Pickles was joined by Simon Holt. They took the score to 135 before Holt departed and Bob Bateman came in to see the home side home by five wickets and 11 balls to spare. Pickles remained undefeated on 71 not out.

Foulridge shared the spoils with Oakworth. The Noyna side made 146 for nine in a revised 40 overs with Chris Brooker-Carey hitting a half century and Michael Scarborough taking five for 51. The game was interestingly poised at 128 for six when play was ended with Graham Rankin 25 not out and W Nasir on four for 37.

In Division Two the surprise leaders are Barnoldswick III, who dismissed Cononley for just 72 and achieved victory by three wickets.

Sharing top spot are Chatburn and Skipton CI, who met in Ribblesdale.

CI looked decidedly shaky at 26 for four until Mark Chisnall, 40, and Shaun Williamson, 46, steadied the ship and Nick Williamson's rapid 26 took CI to a respectable 151, Richard Shovelton and Rod Booth both taking four wickets.

Chatburn started their innings without L Ball, who had suffered a severe injury but fortunately was given the all-clear after a short visit to the hospital.

Like CI, Chatburn started unsteadily but unlike CI they had no-one to tackle the accurate bowling of John Drake, five for 11, and Nick Williamson, four for 38, and will wish to forget their total of 56 for nine.

Gargrave made 112 at Glusburn with E Moorhouse scoring 42 but Glusburn needed just 15 overs to knock off the runs, Richard Parkin top scoring with 60no and Darren Ideson hitting 41 in a nine wicket win.

There was a strong aroma of wintergreen as Long Lee veteran John Tetley got to work on visitors Airedale. He took five for 39 despite Matthew Cox's 59 in a total of 116 for eight. John Haider was the mainstay of Long Lee's march to victory by five wickets.

Thornton are early leaders of Division Three after a seven wicket win at Fence where Pendle Forest scored 120 for seven, Andrew Mawdsley making 54. Richard Thompson took three for 19 for Thornton and then hit 60 to go with Richard Craddock's 33.

Haworth, Sutton and Bradley are a couple of points behind. Haworth scored 166 for seven at home to Embsay, Colin Williamson making 40 but Embsay looked to be on course for victory until rain interfered with them on 138 for five after 29 overs, Chris Davies making 59.

Sutton escaped at Barrowford where they shot the home side out for 68, David Holdsworth taking four for 23 and Justin Holdsworth three for 33. However, they were in disarray at 33 for seven before Justin completed a man-of-the-match display with 23no to engineer victory from defeat.

Bradley posted 132 at home to Chatburn, whose Gerry Clarkson took six for 26. Then William Mitchell ran riot with his legspinners, taking six for 36 and D Carroll took four for 40 to skittle out Chatburn for just 76.

Glusburn's Phil Taylor notched up the only century of the day with 108 at Cure Hill in a total of 173. Even so, Oakworth cantered to a five wicket win with Steve Powell unbeaten on 95.

Russ Aldersley returned the best bowling figures of nine for 32 as Haworth West End were dismissed for 96 at Upper Wharfedale in reply to the home side's 193 for five, of which David Crabtree made 78.

Long Lee are making the running in Division Four despite their game at Airedale falling foul of the weather. They are two points ahead of Carleton, Gargrave and Pendle Forest III.

Carleton's John Barwick top scored with 33 in their 156 for nine at Keighley Tech, whose Daniel Moorhouse took four for 13. The Tech were then all out for 73 with four wickets apiece for Brian Haigh and David Humphries.

Gargrave struggled to 88 all out against Foulridge, Martyn Cox doing best with 31. M Constable took five for 12 and I Edworthy four for 17, But that total proved to be enough as D Robertshaw took six wickets as Foulridge were all out for 65.

Cononley were dismissed for 83 by Pendle Forest, whose P Jones took six for 16 and David Hall scored an unbeaten 46 as they won by seven wickets.

Skipton CI were all out for 66 as Don Moore took six wickets for Cowling. The visitors knocked off the runs for the loss of four wickets.

Ingrow St John's made 103 for eight at Jimmy Nelson's with Barry Wood scoring 35no before the home side cantered to a nine wicket win, with Kevin Wareing scoring 42no.

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