SUTTON have completed the great escape in the Mewies Solicitors Craven League.
The men from Royd Hill hosted Wilsden in Division One but the visitors could only make 126 after winning the toss, with David Snowden taking 4-17 and Sachin Abraham 4-43.
Sutton, who remarkably won five of their last five matches to survive by just six points, then relied on tried and trusted opening bats Snowden and Sam Solley.
Snowden was unbeaten on 66, including 13 fours and a six, while Solley was 64 not out, including ten fours, as they put on an unbroken stand of 131 in 25 overs to win by 10 wickets.
Gargrave finished fifth in their first season back in the top flight but ended on a damp squib at third-placed Hepworth & Idle, being dismissed for 79, with only John Beckwith (31), skipper Chris Lambert (13) and George Beckwith (10no) making double figures.
The Westfield Laners then won by six wickets inside 17 overs.
Cowling, who finished sixth, lost a low-scoring match at Barrowford by 15 runs after being dismissed for 65.
In Division Two, Silsden blew their chance of promotion in a thrilling derby at home to Bradley.
Silsden were 112-4 but lost their last six wickets for just 27, with Rob Jones (31) and Johnny Atherton (47) having laid a platform.
Opening bowlers Toby Meynell (3-34) and George Bell (3-45) did most of the damage, but Bradley were then 132-9, only for last pair Henry Meynell (6no) and Tom Long (1no) to win it for them with a partnership of 10.
Shahzad GullBahar (48) and keeper Dave Hunt (36) scored most of their runs, adding 70 for the seventh wicket, to defy Joshua Waind (4-61) and Will Pullen (3-28).
That defeat gave Eldwick & Gilstead the chance to overtake them, and the twin villages took it by beating Skipton CI by 124 runs.
Eldwick & Gilstead made 253-9, with Azhar Iqbal (4-63) and Sam Smith (3-49) among the wickets.
CI were then dismissed for 129, and that total was only achieved thanks to a ninth-wicket stand of 93 between Danyal Iqbal (52) and Ian henderson (46).
Glusburn, who finished fifth, sent Bradford & Bingley III down, defeating them by 26 runs at Park Field.
Opener Matt Lloyd (90) made more than half of Glusburn’s 173, skipper Steve Brown chipping in with 26, and Irfan Khaliq (5-49) and 18-year-old Cody Hird (3-19) then helped restrict Bingley to 147.
In Division Three, Cononley have missed out on promotion, despite a surprise win in more ways than one at champions Thornton-in-Craven.
The visitors made 176-9, led by the in-form Herbie Starkey (58), Tom Feather (34) and Harry Parker (25) as Jack Laycock (3-30) dd best with the ball for Thornton.
Feather then took 3-34 and Colin Stead 4-28 as the champions were bowled out for 164, but they lost their last five wickets for just three runs and five players recorded ducks!
Opener Scott Howarth-Hynes made 90, including 14 fours, to set up what should have been a home win.
Cowling II finished their uneven campaign on a high with a nine-wicket victory at home to relegated Long Lee II, who made 175, with Aqib Chatta taking 4-35.
But then Cowling breezed home in 37 overs, with Ajmal Choudhry (98no) unlucky not to reach his century. Danish Hameed scored 53 and Sulaiman Aslam 24 not out.
Hepworth & Idle II finished as runners-up to Thornton, thrashing hosts Gargrave II.
The Westfield Laners made 313-5 and then dismissed the home side for just 75, with Tony Spensley (15), Dieter Kayley (23) and Giles Winterton (13) the only ones to make double figures.
Denholme II conceded a walkover to Skipton CI II, who ended up 10th.
Keighley III missed out on the Division Four championship as Bingley Congs III were handed a walkover by Glusburn II.
Sutton II were in a hurry at Hepworth & Idle III, dismissing them for 146 as Sam Stoneman (4-11) and Chris Vollentine (4-15) cashed in.
Opener Andrew Fountain then played a captain’s knock with 61, and he was supported by Charlie Whitaker (19), Vollentine (18) and Ben Seward (14) as victory was achieved by two wickets in just 21.2 overs.
