Like buses, wait ages for one then...

I arrived at the ground on Saturday wondering what to write about this week seeing as it was obvious there'd be no play in either game due tot he weather... How wrong was I?

Let's get it out of the way - star performance this week can go to one man only: Zahir Abbas. Well done Ziggy, the figures (and the testimony from Zain) say it all. Ten overs - eight wickets - just seventeen runs conceded! Fantastic stuff, need I mention the others? Oh, go on then.

And I do need to mention the others because yet again there were a whole bunch of heroes playing this weekend.

The first team travelled to Sutton in Craven in the rain, and must have expected it to be a fruitless journey destined for an abandonment. But instead, they managed to be the only first division game to produce a result. Batting first having won the toss, Riddlesden amassed a healthy 205 all out with a great half century from Mohammad Shahnawaz(53), and valuable contributions from Goher Ayoub(37), Aftab Khan(29), Zahir Abbas(36) - again! - and Mohammed Gulnawaz(19).

This total looked competitive, but then the Ziggy and Zullie show began. In just 21 overs the pair destroyed Sutton's batting line up, with Mohammed Zulfiqar playing the support role this week perhaps, with a brace of wickets, but he did take seven wickets himself just last week remember! Very impressively, eight of the wickets were bowled - that's some accurate bowling there. In the end Sutton were skittled out for just 57 - a massive win for the first team!

Now could the seconds match it? Their opponents, Sandy Lane, lay in 2nd place in the division at the start of the day and needed points to close on top spot, so were eager to play despite the drizzle in the air. So were we. Put into bat, the opening pair of Dale Pinkerton (64) and Mohammead Qadeer(61) put on 126 for the first wicket - their second century partnership in a row. All of this was done through continuous steady rain, but both teams still chose to play on. There was a bit of a blip as Riddlesden slipped to 149-6, but Akeel Rashid(17), Steve McGarry(22 n/o) and Danny Kernan(22 n/o) played some nice shots to push the score up to a season best 221-8 at the close.

All of a sudden the sun was out and things were looking rosy. Imran Mehrban (2-28) got things underway prising out both openers cheaply, whilst Bob Morissroe (1-14) and Mohammad Qadeer (2-46) kept things tight and under control. Wickets continued to tumble, and despite a 54 run 8th wicket partnership, the only real risk was the light. It was rapidly approaching 8pm and with the return of the clouds it was getting very dark. Enter Danny Kernan - energetic and sprinting back to his mark after each delivery. Figures of 3-47 were fully deserved, and just as the last wicket fell, the heavens opened in what would have been a game ending downpour!

A little note of caution: I don't know about the first team game, but the seconds dropped quite a few chances. If I was a stickler, there were 8 drops, but at least three of those were very tough half chances. Fortunately it didn't hurt us this time, but I thought I'd throw this one in there so nobody gets too cocky after the last couple of weeks!

To the tables: 1st team are now 8 points clear of relegation with just 4 games (max 12 pts) to play. Currently in 9th place chasing Ingrow St Johns - can they overtake them? 2nd team are currently 9 points above relegation, but we're still waiting on one result so that could change to 8 yet. They sit in 8th place with Bingley Congs just three points ahead...

Fixtures: 1st team at home against bottom placed Foulridge, who have just one win on May 7th! 2nd team away to new 2nd place team Long Lee. They thrashed us at home, but have wobbled a bit recently. Perhaps a chance?