OAKWORTH and Steeton under-11s met in the Upper Airedale Junior Association's opening festival of the season at Skipton and Skipton CI, which used to be staged by Malsis School.

Steeton (Group One) and Oakworth (Group Two) were early winners on pitches called 'Headingley' and 'Old Trafford', and Steeton backed up that initial victory by defeating Earby four runs (61-57), while Oakworth beat Upper Wharfedale B 68-61.

Cullingworth also challenged strongly but it boiled down to an Oakworth v Steeton final, with the former posting a daunting 68-0 via Subhaan Ahmed and Lewis Brown.

Steeton relied with a creditable 55-2, so Oakworth, runners-up in 2014, were winners this time.

The under-13s were using 'Lord's' and 'The Oval', and Oakworth were on the wrong end of an early upset against Upper Wharfedale, for whom Henry James scored 42 of their total of 43.

However, Oakworth kept themselves in it by defeating Cullingworth by 12 runs, who then beat Upper Wharfedale, leaving Earby v Oakworth as the deciding clash.

Earby posted 49-3 and, with seven balls remaining, Oakworth stood on 41 but with the last pair at the crease but a suicidal second-run attempt scuppered their chances.

In the other group, Oakworth B nicked a point from Skipton in a tie but Steeton, winners against Oxenhope, Embsay and Oakworth B, then fell by seven runs against Skipton, who defeated Earby by six runs in the final (56-50).

Oakworth (Group One) and Cullingworth (Group Two) were in the mix to lead their respective section among the under-nines, who played on Flicx (plastic pitches) called 'Trent Bridge' and 'Edgbaston'.

Oxenhope and Skipton ended up in third place in their groups, with the final being between Oakworth and Cullingworth, who reached 50 in all of their matches and edged out Great Horton Church by seven runs.

The Earby v Oakworth encounter rested on a sharp bowling performance from Oakworth, who restricted Earby to 29-5.

The final proved a showcase for Elliot Robinson, with 40 from an excellent 63-1, Oakworth replying with 35-1.