Bowling Baptists flick the switch to head Wynn Cup group

The Scotchman Road side backed up their win at Haworth Road Meths by defeating another top-flight side in second-placed Cowling.

Baptists won the toss and chose to bat at Keighley Road, but their innings rather fell away after opener Mohammed Zahid had made 26 and No 3 Raees Ishtiaq (18).

It needed runs from the lower-middle order in the shape of Sohail Butt (44) and Omair Ishtiaq (26) to get them up to 135.

Cowling were looking good after keeper and opener Wasim Hussain had made 42 and No 3 Danish Hameed (25), but only No 5 Vasu Goyal (18) made double figures after that as they subsided to 120 all out to lose by 15 runs.

Third-change Ishtiaq completed a fine match by taking 6-29.

Meths bounced back from their defeat in the opening group game to triumph over Haworth by 10 wickets at Baildon Bottom.

The visitors opted to have first knock, but could only total 109 as Mohammed Sajjad, the sixth bowler used, bagged 5-13 from seven overs.

Meths were then put on easy street by openers Fahim Khan (78no off 59 balls including eight flours and four sixes) and Ian Robson (25no), who knocked off the runs inside 24 overs.

Hepworth & Idle head Group B, also with two wins out of two, after comfortably beating Division Two visitors Cononley, who were toppled for 79 after winning the toss.

First-change Jonny Thompson took 5-12, Jay Bhangoo 2-7 and Mark Harland 2-35, but Jonathan Robinson deserves credit too for only conceding four runs from his eight overs, despite not taking a wicket.

Chris Hawksworth (42no) then continued his fine form to see the Westfield Laners to a seven-wicket win inside 16 overs.

Similarly, Wilsden were no match for hosts Thornton-in-Craven, who made an impressive 226-4 after being sent in at Booth Bridge Lane, with only Chris Longley being able to put a brake on the scoring.

Opener Mohammed Qasim Hussain (27) and Pete Longley (27) then added 57 for Wilsden’s second wicket, but that was their only partnership of note as they were dismissed for 137.

Eldwick & Gilstead’s match at home to Sutton did not start.

There was no joy for Bradford area clubs in the John Clayton Cup - the 40-overs-per-side competition for lower-ranked teams - with Bowling Baptists II, Bradford & Bingley III and Hepworth & Idle III all losing.

Bingley came closest to winning at Silsden II, with Shahbaz Ahmed dominating their innings of 118 by scoring 63 off 82 balls, including six fours and four sixes.

Support came from Daanyal Khan (27), who added 55 with Ahmed for the sixth wicket, but only one other player made double figures - skipper Farhan Khalid with 12.

Silsden were 39-5 in reply before stands of 22, 28 and 30 unbroken helped them to a three-wicket win after 38 overs, defying 12-year-old newcomer Hugo Nolson, who took 3-22.

Hepworth & Idle were sent in at Sutton II and made 126, which was largely down to opener Seam McEvoy (38) and captain Steve Pedder (24).

The home side won by eight wickets in the 22nd over, while Baptists’ second strings lost by 34 runs at home to Glusburn II.

Hepworth & Idle’s second strings, who lost in last year’s Cowling Cup T20 final, won at Menston V after making 111-5, Mark Davies (49) and captain Martin McCulley (27) giving them a chance with a fourth-wicket stand of 80.

Menston were then dismissed for 62, with only captain and keeper Keith Texel (24) making double figures as Muhammad Abdullah (3-7), McCulley (3-8) and Swaraj Thakur (2-14) held all the aces.

Wilsden II hosted a double header at Shay Gate and lost both matches.

First up were Ingrow II, who made 129-5 after being sent in, opening pair Rizwan Ali (3-16) and 19-year-old Ollie Houldsworth (2-3) taking all the wickets.

The home side replied with 84-7, with opener Ali top scoring with 15.

Wilsden decided to bat against Keighley III, but were restricted to 86, Houldsworth (28) this time starring with the willow as one of only three players to make double figures.

Keighley then won by seven wickets by the end of the 14th over.