HAWORTH Road Meths, who have finished seventh, ninth and seventh in the past three seasons in Division One of the Timothy Taylor’s Craven League, are finally showing form from their pre-Covid days.

Meths, who finished third in 2019 and 2018 and second in 2017, have climbed two places to second after an impressive victory at Cowling.

Cowling chose to bat, but fell victim to change bowlers Shahid Saleem (3-44) and Mansha Khan (4-43) as they were dismissed for 184.

Openers Naseeb Ali (34) and Asad Rashid (58) then set Meths on their way, and the four-wicket win was sealed in the 40th over by skipper Laiq Ur Rehman (38 not out).

Eldwick & Gilstead, one of the two clubs that Meths leapfrogged, were on the wrong end of a convincing defeat at Bradley, who made 255-7 after winning the toss.

Rob Unsworth (47) and Deependra Rathore (42) then got E&G off to a fine start after tea with a stand of 63 but there was little after that and they collapsed from 136-4 to be bowled out for 154.

Hepworth & Idle are fifth after a low-scoring victory at Haworth, who were dismissed for 87 in 23.2 overs by brothers Jonathan (5-47) and Alex Robinson (5-38).

The Westfield Laners were sitting pretty at 43-1, with Tom Gadd having scored 23 and Ryan Welsh 24, but then lost five wickets for five runs.

Hepworth & Idle then went from 75-6 to 75-8 before they scrambled their way to a two-wicket win in the 19th over.

Wilsden remain bottom after being outplayed by leaders Gargrave, who dismissed the hosts for 150, brothers Pete (32) and Chris Longley (38) adding 67 for the third wicket before a collapse from 118-2.

Gargrave then won in the 23rd over, coasting home by eight wickets.

In Division Two, Bowling Baptists continue to hang onto the coat-tails of leaders Silsden, trailing them by just 11 points with seven matches left.

Baptists were at Thornton-in-Craven, who could only score 110-8 off their 45 overs, Ishtiaq Raza taking 4-25.

The visitors then knocked off the runs without loss in 17 overs, with Muhammad Zulfiqar Khan 70 not out off 56 balls, including seven fours and seven sixes.

Hepworth & Idle II are still bottom, but won again to reduce the margin between themselves and third-from-bottom Cononley to just 12 points.

Airedale won the toss at Westfield Lane, but could only score 107 as skipper Martin McCulley took 3-1 in a collapse from 88-4.

The match was in the balance when H&I were 81-7 but an unbroken partnership of 28 between Muhammad Abdullah (16no) and Joe Allatt (20no) saw them home.

Joe Allatt is primarily in the Hepworth & Idle II side for his bowling (above) but it was his cool head while batting that got his side over the line on Saturday.Joe Allatt is primarily in the Hepworth & Idle II side for his bowling (above) but it was his cool head while batting that got his side over the line on Saturday. (Image: Richard Leach.)

In Division Three, Bradford & Bingley III won a tense match by four runs against Sutton II at Sandy Lane.

Bingley won the toss and made 179-8, keeper Alex Tudge and captain Farhan Khalid dominating the innings.

Tudge made 71 off 106 balls, with Khalid finishing on 50 not out off 45 balls.

Khalid then took 3-30, but Sutton came perilously near to winning, finishing on 175-7 after an unbroken stand of 63.

Bingley are fifth on 113 points, and two places but 24 points below them are neighbours Bingley Congs III, who lost a competitive match at Menston IV.

Congs won the toss and made 154, having been 116-8, with contributions from Paul Sansom (33) and Shahid Mahmood (36).

Menston then won by two wickets in the 43rd over, despite collapsing from 98-3 to 101-6, as three bowlers took two wickets, including Michael Baines (2-8).

Basement boys Wilsden II were no match for leaders Long Lee at Golden View, who scored 322-7 after being sent in, Muddassar Riaz taking 3-69.

Wilsden’s reply started well, with Ali Khaliq batting well for his 48, but they fell away from 115-3 to 127 all out to remain bottom by a point from Gargrave II.

In Division Four, Bowling Baptists II remain fourth after outplaying visitors Long Lee II.

The latter won the toss but could only score 64 as Adnaan Shafique (3-4) and Muhammad Daim Farooq (2-2) caused real problems.

However, Baptists didn’t find things that easy either when they batted, winning on 66-5, with 31 from opener Usman Ahmed.

Hepworth & Idle III were defeated quite handily by visitors Skipton CI II at Cambing.

Sent in, the Sandylanders made 143, with Zach Holland taking 5-46.

Hepworth & Idle were then dismissed for 59 in 19.3 overs, despite 33 by under-17 opener Jack Lorriman, as the innings tailed away spectacularly from 49-3.