Hepworth & Idle and Wilsden suffer bad Craven League weekend

They could only make 140-9 after winning the toss at home to Eldwick & Gilstead and lost by six wickets.

Only four players made double figures for the Westfield Laners, although Ryan Welsh (49) and Jonathan Robinson (30) helped to at least set a competitive total.

Ajeet Singh (3-33) and Jordan Bayliss (4-24) took most of the wickets, and the twin villages were set on their way by Deependra Rathore (39) before Palwinder Kumar (31 not out) finished the job to defy Alex Robinson, who took 2-15 from his nine overs.

Leaders Gargrave thus extended the gap from Hepworth & Idle to 30 points, with E&G climbing a place to third.

Haworth Road Meths remain fifth after handing Wilsden a sixth defeat in eight matches, with the latter’s other two games being abandoned due to rain.

Meths were sent in and made 180, with No.8 Mansha Khan producing a sparkling 50 off 45 balls, including seven fours and a six.

Sam Mitchell took 4-40 and Sikander Mahmood 3-13 for Wilsden, who only replied with 131, six players reaching double figures, led by Chris Mitchell (36).

But they could not cope with Shahid Saleem, the fourth bowler used, who took 7-35 to leave Wilsden bottom, but now only by a point from ninth-placed Haworth.

Shahid Saleem took seven wickets for Haworth Road Meths in a brilliant bowling effort. (Image: Andy Garbutt.)

Bowling Baptists notched win number six to stay top of Division One in what seems a two-way fight for the silverware with Silsden.

Visitors Cononley sent the men from Scotchman Road in and they made an imposing 243-9, with Omair Ishtiaq (55) top scoring.

Cononley got nowhere near that total, being dismissed for 90 to drop into a relegation berth, with Muhammad Zulfiqar Khan and Shahbaz Ishaq taking 3-13 and 3-17 respectively.

Even more one-sided was the match at Sandylands between fourth-placed Skipton CI and basement boys Hepworth & Idle II.

CI made 302-6 after opting to bat, Zach Holland doing well to take 3-47, and then the Westfield Laners’ second strings were dismissed for 115, despite 32 from Simon Raistrick.

Meanwhile, Bradford & Bingley III’s resurgence continued in Division Three, defeating leaders Long Lee, who dropped from first to third, by six wickets at Sandy Lane.

Sent in, the Golden View side made 150-9, with Farhan Khalid (4-24) and Shahzayb Shaukat (3-17) among the wickets.

Bingley then coasted to an easy victory thanks to James Crossley (58no) and Shahbaz Ahmed (51), who put on 108 for the fourth wicket, with the target being passed at the end of the 37th over as Bingley climbed a place to fourth.

At the other end of the table, just one point separates three teams fighting to avoid the drop.

Bingley Congs III did themselves no favours by a heavy defeat at new leaders Cowling II.

Congs won the toss but were back in the pavilion in 21.3 overs for 85, Tahir Arshad top scoring with 27.

Cowling then won by eight wickets in 16.5 overs, dropping Congs from seventh to eighth.

Wilsden II are now just a point behind them in ninth after notching only their second win of the season - at home to bottom-of-the-table Keighley III.

The hosts recovered from being 47-4 to score an impressive 207-6, with Ali Khaliq (51) and Harrison Houldsworth (45no) standing out.

Keighley made a spirited response but ended up on 194-7.

In Division Four, Hepworth & Idle III were no match for third-placed Glusburn II, who made 248 after being sent in at Park Field, Qanita Inayat taking 3-41 and Jonny Milner 3-35.

Three Hepworth & Idle players then reached double figures, Inayat the best of those with 26, but they were toppled for 66 to stay sixth.

Bowling Baptists, also defeated but in a closer match, remain seventh.

They had to bowl first, and Shazaid Yousaf (3-13 from his 10 overs) took wickets at either end of the innings.

However, only three of their line-up then made double figures after tea and Armaan Mahmood’s top score of 28 was not enough as they only totalled 135.