MEWIES Solicitors Craven League Division One champions Ingrow St John’s made a fine start to their defence at Barrowford.

Farhan Abassi (54no), Deepal Dissanayake (47) and Sarum Quereshi (41) helped them rattle up 229-5 before the Bull Holme side replied with 172 as Wasim Hussein claimed 4-46 and Nadeem Zaman 3-35.

Last year's runners-up Oakworth put newly-promoted Chatburn to the sword in the Ribble Valley.

The hosts were hustled out for 60 as Steve Filkin took 4-19 and Jack Davison 3-10 before the Cure Hill side galloped home by seven wickets, with Rob Hopkinson scoring 38 not out.

Haworth made a winning start at Crossflatts. Andy Coatesworth hit 71 of the Bronte side's 198-9 as Qumar Ayub took 4-42. The Ryshworth Park side replied with 154 (Alex Bradbury 52, Lee Bailey 40) as Damian Rowell claimed 4-34.

Haworth Road smacked 239-6 at home to last year’s Division Two champions Sutton. Chris Griggs led the way with a fine 96 not out, assisted by Danny Pearson (40).

The Royd Hill outfit made 165-9 in reply, with Dave Snowden hitting 53 as Muhammed Sajjad – a close-season recruit from Ingrow St John’s – took 4-32.

Embsay went down fighting at home to Bingley Congs. The Shires Laners were restricted to 124, with Josh Robinson making a fine 71 as Harry Greenhalgh claimed 4-37.

The Beckfoot side lost seven wickets before getting home. New recruit Aussie Tom Mackenzie made a telling 41 as Congs tumbled to 104-7. However, their nerves held and they took the spoils without losing another wicket.

Up at Noyna, visitors Riddlesden just held on to beat Foulridge by 15 runs.

There was an emotional two-run win for Long Lee at Denholme in Division Two.

As was the case at all grounds in the league, a minute's silence was held before the start in honour of the Golden View club's stalwart Derek Granger, who passed away earlier this month.

A rusty performance saw the visitors creep to 134, with Stephen Butterfield making a stylish 48 and Matt Taylor 23 as Matt Wear took 3-9 off ten overs and Toby Priestley 3-38.

Denholme looked to be garnering the spoils, only to suffer a late collapse and close on 132. Ben Burkill top-scored with 35 as Jamie Robinson took 3-15, Ian Roberts 3-16 and Butterfield 3-20.

The two relegated sides in Division Two, Thornton and Cowling, started the season in positive fashion.

Thornton, despite the trauma of losing their scorer and secretary Cyril Ashworth the previous day, posted 152 at Oakworth II, who could only make 86 in reply as Jack Laycock took 5-43 from 15 overs.

Ex-Barrowford man Ajmal Choudrhy was the star of Cowling’s 91-run victory over newly-promoted Gargrave at The Coliseum. He made 45 and followed up with 5-11.

Billy Winterburn (36) helped Bradley to 168-7 at Matthews Lane. Visitors Wilsden were progressing steadily at 62-0 before James Heseltine joined Vince Grant in the attack and the pair had them back in the hut for just 95. Heseltine finished with 5-9 and Grant 5-27.

Tim Hawksworth hit 81 as Hepworth & Idle made 159 at Glusburn, who strolled to a five-wicket victory thanks to Steve Brown (70no) and Nick Williamson (49no).

Airedale were in no mood to take prisoners when they entertained Ingrow. Waris Ismail (44) and Matt Cox (40) helped the Bradford Road side to 198-4 before the Hainworth side struggled to 120 (Owen Palmer 60).

In Division Three, Haworth Road II got off to a flyer as they beat Haworth West End by 86 runs at Penistone Park. Waj Mahmood (61) was the main contributor as the Baildon Bottom side reached 182-8 as Charlie Shimmin took 4-28. Anthony Haigh 3-11 and Sajid Mahmood 3-19 played a big part in restricting the hosts to 96.

Promoted Riddlesden II were given a lesson on what life could be like as they were shot out for 45 by Cononley at Grange Road, with Freddie Maddocks 3-6 and Ryan Taylor 3-11 doing most of the damage. The South Craven side galloped home by eight wickets.

Sandy Lane entertained the other promoted side, Denholme II, and beat them by 55 runs. The Greenwood Park outfit struggled to 113 as Neil Spencer took 4-34. The visitors were all out for 58 as Vishal Shaw took 5-36 and Muhammed Ulfat 4-19.

In the Bingley derby, Bradford & Bingley III saw off Eldwick & Gilstead by 19 runs. Zak Critchlow (54), Andy Dobson (51) and James Baxter (4-22) were the stars for the winners.

Embsay II made the short trip to Sandylands to face Skipton CI and came away with spoils by two wickets with just five balls to spare.

Tom Mitchum (35) and Ian Henderson (31) helped CI to 145-7 as Jonathan Coward took (4-50). Fifteen-year old Tom Robinson, opening the innings, made 48 not out while 64-year-old Brian Hodgson scored 32 to help set up the victory. For CI, Alex Horsfield took 4-34.

Ingrow St John’s II went down by seven wickets to Barrowford II at Street Lane.

Bingley Congs II were in fine fettle in Division Four as they blasted 265-3 at home to Airedale II, Charlie Raistrick (85), Rick Andrews (53no) and Michael Baines (50no) in good form. The Bradford Road side replied with 150 with Asad Ejaz making 54 as 15-year-old Nathan Allatt took 3-20.

Newly-promoted Gargrave II were rolled over for 43 by Oakworth III at Skipton Road, the visitors knocking off the runs for the loss of one wicket.

Wilsden II encountered few problems at home to Foulridge II. Having dismissed the Noyna side for 113, they galloped to a nine-wicket win, with Neil Jagger making 54 not out.

Haworth II just got the better of Crossflatts II in Bronteland. Aaron Putko and Craig Ogden both made 46 to go with Adie Ratcliffe’s 33 as the home side rattled up 180.

Dave Hall, who moved down to Ryshworth Park from Cullingworth, made a fine 80 as the visitors replied with 150 as Will Yilditz took 4-31.

Jack Baker made 49 as Glusburn II posted 151 at Hepworth & Idle II for whom Garry Orrell took 5-18. Dale Wood top-scored with 44 as Bryan Hollis claimed 3-52 to see the Westfield Lane side to the points by four wickets.

In Division Five, Cowling II travelled to Ingrow and won by 37 runs. The Keighley Road side made 131-9, with Sajid Shafait making 48 and Matty Courtman taking 5-24. The Hainworth side replied with 94-9, with Sajid Shafait taking 5-18 and Zahid Shafait 4-42.

Sam Solley was the star of Sutton II's ten-wicket victory over Skipton CI II at Royd Hill. He took 5-22 and then made 31 not out.

Cononley II were hammered by visitors Sandy Lane II, losing by 204 runs. The visitors blasted 262-6, with Zaid Saleem scoring 82 and Shabaz Ahmed 78. Peter Hatton (14) was top scorer as the South Craveners replied with 58.

The first hat-trick of the season went to 19-year-old Jack Andrews of Bradley. Playing at Long Lee II, he took 4-2 off three overs in their innings of 100. Earlier Bradley had made 180, with James Robinson scoring 55 and David Hunt 42 as Andy Greenwood claimed 5-39.

* Tributes were also paid following the death last month of Peter Clarke, who was a stalwart at Skipton CI and a vice-president of the league.