INGROW St John's served notice in emphatic style that they do not intend to give up their Mewies Solicitors Craven League crown without a fight.

They handed Division One leaders Bingley Congs their first defeat of the season after rattling up 285-9 at Beckfoot Lane, with Omar Khatab hitting 81 and Nadeem Zaman 43 not out as Adie Dibb returned 4-76 and Neil Copping 3-47.

Congs were never in the hunt in reply and were castled for 141, with Chris Dibb scoring an unbeaten 52 in the middle order as Nadeem Safdar took 4-23 and Wasim Hussain 4-31.

The upshot of that setback means there is a three-way tie at the top between Saints, Congs and Oakworth – who won by eight wickets at Sutton, despite a brave 97 by home opener Matt Walker in their 196-6 (Michael Scarborough 4-29).

Oakworth replied with 198-2 in just 34.3 overs, opener Gareth Marshall's 104 not out containing seven sixes and eight fours off 93 balls. Scarborough scored 47 not out in an unbroken stand of 103 and Jack Hainsworth 40 in a partnership of 85.

The runs flowed both ways when Haworth met Riddlesden in Bronteland, with the hosts cracking 262-6 thanks to Jamie Rowell (94), Dan Trowers (51) and Andrew Coatesworth (42no).

But it was not enough as Riddlesden replied with 266-4 off 43.1 overs, Amjad Hussain making a spectacular unbeaten 128 out of 190 in the middle order and adding 151 for the fourth wicket with Naveed Hussain (42).

Crossflatts are joint fourth with Riddlesden but were thankful to Alex Bradbury (5-53) and No 7 Qamar Ayub (69no) – the latter rescuing Flatts from 45-5 in pursuit of their 145 target, which they reached for the loss of only one further wicket.

Much like Congs, Cowling have paid a price for their first defeat of the season in Division Two.

Their two-wicket setback at Oakworth Seconds has given Thornton-in-Craven the outright leadership, with Oakworth's second string third just a point behind the Keighley Road club.

Shahid Hassan (88), Martyn Dalby (57) and Ben Davy gave Cowling a massive middle-order boost on their way to 204-8, Tom Fothergill taking 4-57 and Jack Ellis 3-51.

But it was not enough as Oakworth replied with 205-8 off 43.2 overs – Sam Nettleton's impressive 53 not out at No 9 sealing the deal, despite Ajmal Choudhry taking 4-42 and Dalby 3-86.

Bradley opener Neil Andrews carried his bat for 124 in their 230-6 but it still wasn't enough as Denholme replied with 231-5 off 44 overs, Toby Priestley (95no) featuring in partnerships of 69 with skipper Richard Taylor (46) and 76 alongside Matty Wear (27).

Airedale captain Matthew Cox made 70 in their 180 at home to Glusburn but the visitors' top four all contributed to a six-wicket victory that was achieved with just under five overs left, Matt Lloyd hitting 41, Neil Freeman 38, Ian Simons 36 and skipper Steve Brown 33.

Sean McEvoy's 5-18 for Hepworth & Idle gave the visitors a chance at Ingrow as the hosts made 211, of which Ben Bright scored 66 and Dan Scott 42. But the Bradford club fell just short at 205-8, Gareth Deegan completing a good game for wicketkeeper-batsmen with 56 as Scott put the screws on with 2-19 off ten overs.

Wilsden opener Colin Bottomley's 56 proved the difference in their 32-run victory at Long Lee, the win putting both clubs level on eight points just above the relegation berths.

Division Three leaders Cononley's batsmen have been firing well this season but they still won despite making only 138 at Denholme Seconds.

It was close though as the second string replied with 124, Herbie Starkey taking 5-38 and Scott Brook 3-40.

Jimmy Dennison's all-round display for Sandy Lane (3-11 and 42) was not quite enough to bring victory at Riddlesden Seconds, for whom Darren Shields (61), Mohammed Qadeer (50) and Michael Bailey (42) outshone the visitors' Ali Chaudhry (68) in a 40-run triumph.

Eldwick & Gilstead stayed second equal with Riddlesden Seconds but only after a one-run victory at Haworth Road Meths, who also started the day level in second.

The twin villages' skipper Arnie Raistrick scored 46 in their 149-5 before Chris Childs' 5-17 just gave them the edge as the hosts replied with 148-9.

Ingrow St John's Seconds went down by 28 runs at home to Skipton Church Institute, despite 65 from Hasnat Bukhari – while Stephen Speak (5-66) and Gareth Wooler (64) could not save Embsay Seconds from defeat against Barrowford Seconds, whose No 9 Attique Khan scored a crucial 66.

Nick Smith took 6-16 for Bradford & Bingley Thirds at Aire View but still finished on the losing side by 27 runs, Graham Aldred's 4-21 helping Haworth West End triumph as the bottom two swapped places.

There was little doubt as to the top match in Division Four as second-placed Bingley Congs visited leaders Hepworth & Idle.

Charlie Raistrick (34) and Ryan Jennings (23) got Congs off to a rapid start, with Tony Teale (59) consolidating before Dan Baines' late fireworks, his 33 boosting the total to 204-6 as the wily Garry Orrell took 3-35.

Hepworth & Idle's reply never really got off the ground as they were dismissed for 85, with Michael Baines taking 3-11 and skipper Jonny Teale 3-17 as the top two changed positions.

Ben England (6-28) and Gary Searby (4-11) demolished Wilsden for 43 at Windy Grove to give third-placed Haworth a 96-run victory, while Charlotte Boulton continued her fine run with 38 as Crossflatts defeated Foulridge by 65 runs.

Michael Davison is another player in form and he took 4-9 as Oakworth Thirds trounced Chatburn seconds by nine wickets, while Glusburn Seconds were rescued by a ninth-wicket stand of 49 between Richard Thompson (32no) and Bryan Hollis (23).

It helped to lift them from 53-8 to 119 all out at Airedale after Giles Wilmore (5-31) had ripped through the earlier batting – and those runs proved vital as the hosts replied with 118-6, skipper Ben Wooler making 42 as Hollis bowled his 15 overs for only 16 runs.

Sutton Seconds, foiled by the weather as much as anything else last season as they fell just short in their promotion bid, intend to leave nothing to chance this time in Division Five.

Kane Booker's 41 was the main contribution to their 143, while Zaid Saleem's 55 in reply for leaders Sandy Lane Seconds was trumped by Carl Jopson's 7-57 as new front-runners Sutton won by 26 runs.

Cowling climbed to second, a point behind, after Ray Jones (5-24) and Yasser Chatta (4-16) dismissed ten-man Long Lee for 69, Cowling reaching their target for the loss of only two wickets in just 20.5 overs.

The main excitement was at Sandylands, however, as Skipton Church Institute Seconds and Bradley Seconds tied on 114.

Bowlers were the chief figures as Suleman Aslam (3-9) and Avais Nawaz (3-42) shone for the hosts and Jack Andrews (5-34) starred for the visitors.

Ingrow Seconds may have paid for only fielding ten men at Cononley as they made 124, Glen Palmer hitting 43 and Simon Bolton 36 as Harry Parker took 4-16.

Cononley replied with 126-9, Luke Ashworth making 61 and Paul Hogg 26 not out as Tony Hodgson took 4-33 and Liam Whitney 3-28.