Gargrave on verge of retaining Wynn Cup as sorry Sutton put to sword

GARGRAVE are two matches away from retaining the Wynn Cup trophy in the Timothy Taylor’s Craven League.

The Division One leaders, who topped Group B, will be at home to Group A runners-up Bradley in the semi-finals on Sunday, July 14, while the other semi-final is a Bradford derby between Group A winners Bowling Baptists and Group B runners-up Hepworth & Idle.

Gargrave completed their group matches in style, defeating hosts Sutton by eight wickets.

Sutton opted to bat but could only make 142, with the wickets being shared between Joe Wood (3-28), Matt Simpson (4-35) and George Beckwith (2-19), opener Sam Solley making 37 as they stuttered from 62-2.

Lee Barrett was in no mood to mess around after tea, scoring an unbeaten 77 off 71 balls, including 12 fours and two sixes.

Simpson completed an influential match by scoring 38, adding 71 for the second wicket with Barrett as the target was passed in the 23rd over.

Silsden finished third in the group, winning a thriller at Cononley.

Sent in, the Cobbydalers made 179-7, with Mohsan Gulbar scoring a stylish 60, including five fours and four sixes.

Colin Stead was outstanding with the ball for Cononley, taking 2-11 off eight overs, while Andrew Starkey chipped in with 2-26.

Cononley were then dismissed for 177 off the penultimate ball to lose by two runs, which was tough luck on Tom Feather, who made 79.

Other contributions came from Charles Calvert (22) and Andrew Starkey (23), Gulbhar completing a fine match by taking 3-12.

More in line with Gargrave’s match was the emphatic victory, also by eight wickets, for Glusburn at home to Thornton-in-Craven, who were dismissed for 124 after being sent in.

Keeper James Mellin top-scored with 36, but there was also a last-wicket stand of 42.

Three Glusburn bowlers took three wickets - Irfan Khaliq (3-20), Abrar Sarwar (3-19) and Danny Ridehalgh (3-30).

Dipesh Mistry then scored 57 off 56 deliveries as Glusburn romped home in 18.3 overs, with fellow opener Matt Lloyd scoring 28 and captain and keeper Steve Brown 41 not out off 23 balls, including three fours and four sixes.

Steve Brown produced a rapid cameo to send Glusburn racing over the line against Thornton-in-Craven. (Image: Andy Garbutt.)

In Group A, Bradley clinched second place in comprehensive fashion at home to Denholme.

They asked the hosts to bat, and may have regretted it at tea as Bradley scored 241-8, with keeper Dave Hunt (46) and Mohammed Qadeer (32) putting on 66 for openers.

However, they did stutter from 130-3 to 135-6, but were revived by Juni Ashraf’s 70 not out off 68 deliveries, including seven fours and two sixes.

Denholme never came close to chasing that total down, only having four players in double figures as they were all out for 79 in 22.3 overs, change bowlers Akeel Rashid (3-31) and Qadeer (4-10) doing the damage.

Cowling, runners-up in 2023, just missed out on a semi-final place, despite winning by three wickets at Haworth, who were heavily reliant on their top four in making 136-9, collapsing from 108-1.

Nawab Ali, the sixth bowler used, had the best figures of 4-21, with Hamid Ullah (2-19) and Danish Hameed (2-22) playing supporting roles.

Cowling were in strife after tea, being 43-6 before Hameed scored 50 and No 8 Junaid Gulnawaz 42 not off 30 balls, including four fours and four sixes, adding 82 for the seventh wicket as they triumphed in the 28th over.

One match didn’t finish because of rain, and the contest was interestingly poised when stumps were pulled.

Riddlesden, sent in, made 191-7, Azhar Iqbal being the best of seven bowlers used with 2-20.

Hosts Skipton CI were then 94-3 off 25.2 overs when play stopped, with Ahsan Mahmood 48 not out.

In the John Clayton Cup semi-finals, also to be played on July 14, three of the semi-finalists are the same as last year.

Silsden II, who were runners-up, entertain Skipton CI II in a repeat of their 2023 semi-final, while the other losing semi-finalists Sutton II are at Menston IV.

The latter two played each other at High Royds in their final group game, with Sutton II opting to bat and being given a fine start by openers Craig Thornton (33) and 15-year-old Jack Middleton (43) on their way to 139-8 in their allotted 40 overs.

Sam Stoneman (23), also 15, and Charlie Whitaker (19), 16, also weighed in.

Sutton then pushed Menston close with the ball, but the home side won by two wickets with 20 balls to spare, despite Whitaker taking 3-31 and Jaison Joseph 3-30.

Silsden II romped home by 80 runs against visitors Glusburn to wrap up their mini league, making 158 after being asked to bat, an innings that was dominated by Finlay Nixon-Snowden.

He scored 91 from 87 balls, including 12 fours and two sixes, and added 42 for the fifth wicket with Seth Wiseman (12), being eighth out at 140 as part of a collapse from 131-4.

Last man Ashton Wozny (10no) was the only other player in double figures as Tahir Mehmood bagged 3-39 and Rafaqat Hussain 4-22.

Silsden needn’t have worried, however, as Glusburn were rolled over for 78 inside 21 overs, as the wickets were shared between Nixon-Snowden (3-11), Joshua Jordan (3-29), Keenan Wozny (2-24) and Toby Cunningham (2-9).

CI finished their group programme with an easy win at Hepworth & Idle III, who were dismissed for 88 after being sent in, with Sohail Choudary taking 3-33 and Mozzam Khan 2-1.

Jonathan Sharpe then saw his team to an eight-wicket victory in 17.3 overs with an unbeaten 29, with keeper Naveed Hussain scoring 17 and Jibin Jacob 15 not out.

Gargrave II may have missed out on the semi-finals this time, but one of their players had the best figures of the weekend, with Ben Wood taking an incredible 6-6 from seven overs, six of which were maidens.

Will Storr backed him up with 2-15 as visitors Haworth II were shot out for 23 in 15 overs trying to overhaul the home side’s 169-6, which saw Tom Storr (61) stand out.

Through to the Cowling Cup T20 finals day at Hepworth & Idle on Sunday, August 18 are 2023 beaten semi-finalists Cowling II, who will kick-off proceedings against Ingrow II at 10am, followed by Bradley II against the hosts’ second XI at 1.30pm, with the final to follow at 4.30pm.

Group winners Cowling II should have been in double-header action, but received a walkover from Bingley Congs III so only faced Keighley III.

Cowling chose to bat and made 84-8, with only opener Reyan Hassan Ali (33) and captain Sajid Shafait (16) reaching double figures.

Five of the six Cowling bowlers then took wickets as Keighley could only make 77-9 in reply, with Mohammed Ishaq bagging 2-16 and Awais Riaz 2-13.

Bradley II found run-making slightly easier at Wilsden II, scoring 109-9 after being sent in, Luke Watson (23) top scoring.

Wilsden were then restricted to 83-9, with Donnacha Washington (2-19), Watson (2-13) and Charlie Andrews (2-19) each taking two wickets.