Making Hay Whilst the Sun Shines

What a glorious weekend. Absolutely scorching weather, sun and heat beyond all expectations. And that's before we get tot he cricket!

Two matches again last week but both on the same weekend thanks to the cup. Which makes up for the previous two weeks with no games due to a rest week and a weather wash-out week. And for the first time in over two years I wasn't around for either so this is all hearsay and stats based - I'm sure I'll make it work somehow...

Saturday. Home game (there's not been many of those this year has there!) and the visit of third placed Glusburn offers up a real six pointer. Glusburn won the toss and in pretty much perfect batting conditions on a wonderfully manicured pitch (well done to the ground staf.f..) chose to bat and set about building a big score. Except they didn't. Instead they came up against Riddlesden's formidable opening bowlers Zullie and Arfan who soon had the visitors in real trouble at 20-6. Zullie bowled with incredible control as always (S Kernan spoke highly of his abilities from his vantage point at slip) picking up another 4 wicket in his 10 over spell. At the other end Arfan was miserly with just 11 runs from his 8 overs, and a brace of wickets to boot. And then just as the batsmen must have thought they were through the hard test, on came Quaddy to mop up the tail with 3 wickets in 4 overs. Glusburn all out for just 75 runs, and only 22 overs bowled.

In came the opening Riddlesden pair with Kamran in great form looking to knock the runs off quickly. Except again, maybe not. Kamran out first ball, nicked behind to the keeper. Not too much later Qaddy followed suite in the same fashion and we were 23-2. Nav (21) and Saquib steadied the boat - the latter impressing with 5 fours and 3 sixes to take us within touching distance at 637 when Naveed was run out. Akeel walked to the wicket but didn't face a ball as Saquib blasted Riddlesden to victory in under 13 overs.

Three points in the bag, gap opened to 3rd place, and on to Sunday where we, ironically, travelled to Glusburn for the Cowling Cup quarter final. This time Glusburn, having again won the toss, chose to field. Qaddy and debutant Wajahit opened. Neither lasted all that long as we fell to 13-2, then 31-3 as we struggled a little in the initial stages. Enter Akeel and Zullie, pushed up the order to try to score some quick runs - and didn't they do well. Akeel(21) provided some much needed impetus, and Zullie smashed a good 35. But then came the star man, Ehsan with 5 fours & 4 sixes in an unbeaten 54 alongside captain Gully's unbeaten 24 to push the Riddlesden total up to 192 - 6 from the 20 overs.

Surely based on the previous day this would be enough. But the Glusburn team this time had teeth. Based around the solid opening innings of captin Mathew Lloyd (49) several Glusburn players contributed. Even Zullie went for a fair few runs in this batsman friendly format of the game, but he still picked up 3 wickets. Wajit was the other bowler of note, coming on late and taking 3 wickets that swung the game our way, but it was tight. Glusburn eventually ran out of deliveries just six short at 186-9. So a close game, but a victorious one for Riddlesden.

Two wins out of two. Still second in the table with a game in hand over the leaders. And a semi final place too, though need to confirm where it will be as the handbook says it's a finals day at Airedale but the website says semi-finals are at the home clubs (i.e. Embsay for us) We travel to Wilsden this week in search of the win to keep momentum going and pressure on top placed Embsay - here's hoping it's as much a belter as last week!