Battle Royale?

Top of the table clash! Joint leaders meeting oto determine supremacy! Season defining moment! Yes, the weekend brought the two best teams in the division together to battle it out for the undisputed lead in the table and promised to be a cracker. Shame the weather didn't play ball with a dark, overcast and generally damp feel to the day rather than the glorious sunshine that the fixture so deserved.

As it happened, the Embsay team that turned up was somewhat depleted with some crucial injuries and absentees. In fact, initially they only had 10 players, with a late call-up hastily enroute during the pre-match warm-ups. But still, Embsay had only lost one match and Riddlesden were unbeaten so this was a clash of titans still.

Embsay batted first in cloudy conditions - ideal for bowlers of Zullie's talents and so it proved as he immediately removed the opener for a duck. Dom Kay, a thorn in our side a couple of seasons ago in the cup, threatened to cut loose with a flurry of boundaries off Arfan but went for one too many and was well caught (at the second attempt) by Gully on the boundary. A good stumping by Naveed put Riddlesden back in charge, but a dogged 4th wicket partnership developed between a resolute Robinson and free flowing Ellison. Quaddy eventually broke that partnership and from there on Embsay pretty much collapsed with the next five batters scoring just 3 runs between them. The innings wrapped up at 104 all out. The bowling had been good throughout with Arfan picking up a brace of wickets, and Quaddy (4-26) and Zullie sharing the rest. Zullie's bowling was superb - just 7 runs conceded from 10 overs and picking up 4 wickets.

Riddlesden's response began in poor fashion with the loss of Kamran for just a single. Quaddy also gave a fairly easy catching opportunity but was dropped. This proved costly to Embsay as he got into his stride with an equally comfortable looking Naveed. Both struck a number of boundaries and Embsay's score was being rapidly caught when the weather deteriorated further. As rain approached, and indeed fell, Nav was bowled for 46 trying to accelerate and get over the line before the game was wiped out. It mattered little as Saquib finished the game in style with a pair of sixes in his 17, and Quaddy ended unbeaten on 41.

The game was over, Riddlesden had won and now sit outright leaders at the top of the table with a game in hand over their nearest three rivals. Momentum is with us, but there's no room for complacency. Next up is Hepworth & Idle away. The weather forecast is not too promising, but that may just play into Zullie and Arfan's hands once again...