Home captain Mike Crossland won the toss and elected to bat on a wicket which looked like it might give some early help to the visitors array of bowling talent.

Cartilage and Massey opened for the away side with Massey producing his usual tight opening spell but for no reward. At the other end Cartilage lacked his usual accuracy and pace but still caused the batsmen occasional trouble with his leg-cutters and was unlucky not to find the edge of the bat.

Tony Curtis replaced Massey at the near end and bowled tidily without making the needed breakthrough as neither could Mark Wisbey who had replaced Cartilage at the other.

Hebden captain Jeff Anderson came on and had opener Wilkinson brilliantly caught one-handed by Atkinson behind square for a consummate 56 to end the opening partnership on 94. Grindleton were two down just one ball later when Whittaker was readily stumped by keeper Hiam when trying to smash the ball out of the ground.

This brought Middlesbrough to the crease and together with opener Jackson they took the innings to a close when he was caught on the boundary off bowler Ken Cameron for 64 to the final ball of the innings. This left the hosts on 226 for 3 with Jackson not out just seven short of his century.

Facing this stiff ask it was crucial Bridge got off to a good start with Wisbey promoted up the order after his great knock in last week's match to help build the platform from which the middle order could spring forward to victory.

Unfortunately he couldn't repeat the feat and managed to run himself out for a solitary run. Hiam looked good joint top scoring with eleven until he fell to a sharp catch by Taylor at mid-wicket and Cartilage for once too fell cheaply.

The next three batsmen for Hebden went when just making double figures and Grindleton bowler Taylor then mopped up the tail with four wickets for just ten runs to leave Hebden all out for a disappointing 76.

GRINDLETON 226-3 (40 overs)

Wilkinson ct Atkinson b Anderson 56

Jackson not out 93

Whittaker st Hiam b Anderson 0

Middlesbrough ct Cartilage b Cameron 64

Extras13

Bowling: Massey 8-1-39-0; Cartilage 8-1-32-0; Curtis 4-0-23-0; Wisbey 2-0-10-0; Atkinson 5-0-31-0; Anderson 5-0-34-2; Allison 2-0-12-0; Cameron 3-0-21-1; Hogan 3-0-14-0

HEBDEN BRIDGE 76 all out (29.5 overs)

Hiam ct Taylor b Briggs 11

Wisbey run out (Nuttall) 1

Cartilage ct Crossland b Nuttall 4

Curtis ct Whittaker b Cherry 11

Allison b Cherry 10

Appleby lbw Briggs 10

Anderson c Crossland b Taylor 11

Hogan ct Briggs b Taylor 4

Massey ct Middlesbrough b Taylor 0

Atkinson not out 4

Cameron ct Briggs b Taylor 0

Extras 10

Bowling: Nuttall 5-1-11-1; Cherry 8-1-17-2; Briggs 6-0-28-2; Taylor 6.5-1-10-4; Ollerenshaw 4-2-5-0