With major changes to the First Xl line up the Second Xl gained some strength. Jack Ellis was soon to find himself available whilst both Steve Hartley and Rob Hollingsworth ended their 'retirements' after time out. The squad was further boosted with the addition of 19 year old Corey Goostrey who was on holiday in Oakworth from his home on the Gold Coast of Queensland Australia.

A first week trip to High Eldwick proved fruitful with Simon Howell 46 leading the batsmen to 146-9 to be followed by a clean up from Adam Smith with a pacy 5-15 to limit E & G to just 76 all out. But in week 2 veteran Brian Freimanis 49 was top-scorer for Crossflatts lls in their impressive 236-5. A lack-lustre response petered out at just 129. Ryan Clark 79 led a charge by Cullingworth lls to reach 176-9 despite the 5-53 from Adam. Ben Fothergill put in a solid 57 to lead us to 177-8 aided by a late order 28 from Ollie Stell. Ingrow St Johns had made an unbeaten start to the season and their visit to Cure Hill would give an early pointer to our overall strength. An excellent batting performance was led by Gold Coaster Corey Goostrey with 59 and Adam with 44. 265-9 was a great return and the Johnnies batsmen went typically hell for leather in pursuit. Jack Ellis 4-43 and 3-58 from Adam was enough to halt their charge at 170 all out.

With four matches gone a 3-0-1 outcome pitched us right into the top echelons of Division Three. But could we maintain that momentum? Skipton CI answered that first with a 'No' but only just as we just failed to defend our 92 all out (Steve Davidson 6-35) when the Skipton tally reached 95-9, Sam Walker 46. Ollie Stell was top batter with 23 whilst the 5-23 and 4-24 from Adam deserved better. The following week a 99 total was always going to be vulnerable but this time the bowlers completed the trick having Glusburn lls back in the hutch for just 50. Evergreen Ian Jackson 5-20 and Adam Smith 5-22 took the deserved plaudits. A brief interlude of the Cowling Cup allowed Jack Ellis to blast 103 against Pendle Forest llls who mustered 43-6 and then conceded the tie after rain. Ian Jackson routed the Cononley lls batsmen with 7-30 to a miserable 72-9 and then Brannan Lawn 48 and Steve Hartley 22 led Oaks to a 10-wicket margin.

 Denholme managed a 174 all out tally despite 5-49 from Adam Smith and 5-57 from Ian Jackson. But it was far too few as our boys had earlier racked up 260-9. Adam Smith's 76 featured along with a late order blast from Robert Hollingsworth on 42.  So our record was now 6-0-2 and 14 to go. Whilst the First Xl evicted Embsay from the Wynn Cup, the 2nd Xl were unable to repeat the feat in the Cowling Cup. Simon Howell posted 52 in our 170-9 but the Embsay riposte centred on Jon Coward 69 to reach 171-2. On resumption of league action, Brannan Lawn led the way with 41 in a modest 112 posting heavily restrained by Will Smith 4-21 for Gargrave. In a season of continuing 5-fors Adam Smith helped skittle the home side for just 82 with 5-21. Michael Davison again exploited the Gargrave wicket with 4-45. Haworth Road lls posted 162-8 led by 60 from Imran Afzal but their bowling couldn't match that as Paul Carter's whirlwind 63 had them on the rack early and we reached 163 with just 4 down. Up at West End Adam Smith again hit the highs with 5-32 as the home side crumpled to 78 all out. Rob Hollingsworth 28 ensured there were no slip ups in a 6-wicket win. Adam had played his last match for the 2nds with promotion to the First XI as reward for his tremendous bowling. The half-way stage was reached with Oaks at the top sporting an impressive 9-0-2 record.

The second half began with a close call after bowling out E & G for 86 thanks to 6-18 from the prolific Ian Jackson and we might have felt comfortable. But spirited bowling from Andy Maude 3-30 dragged his team back into contention and Oaks got home by only 1 wicket courtesy of 36 from Rob Hollingsworth and 18 from irrepressible last man 'Jacko'. The early season defeat to Crossflatts lls was reversed in emphatic style with Jacko again amongst 'em with 5-29 to have them all out for 88. On form Rob Hollingsworth continued as only he can and his 42 spearheaded our 93-1.  Batting first v Cullingworth lls our total seemed destined to be a lowly one but number 8 Greig Hudson changed all that with a stupendous 72 no to take us to 180-9. We needn't have worried as Corey Goostrey snuffed out any hope for the opposition with 7-32, only Paddy Clark 47 challenging. They concluded their knock on 78 all out. The top two were to meet the following week as Ingrow St Johns had stayed on Oaks coat-tails all season. Once again a typically kamikaze batting effort was scuppered big style by Ian Jackson with 6-11 and just 35 all out on the board. But Shoib Razak 3-10 made Oaks work for the victory which came with a wobbly 36-6. 13-0-2 and we were now going away from the rest as Johnnies stayed in 2nd place.

Skipton CI also couldn't repeat their early season win over Oaks. Steve Hartley 53 and Steve Powell 51 turned back the clock in leading the lads to 227-9. This week Jack Ellis 4-34 took the accolades as CI made just 94 all out. Promotion and hopefully the Championship was now in sight and next up Glusburn couldn't ruffle our batsmen who posted 221-2. The heroes were Ben Fothergill 105no and Brannan Lawn 103no who shared a 217 stand on the way. 13 year old Jack Keighley was given a run out with the 2nd Xl and his 4-17 led the bowers and Glusburn ended at 149. Cononley ll failed to field a team and Oaks took the points without getting changed! With four matches remaining Oaks had a 6 point lead and a superb record of 16-0-2.

The trip to Denholme belonged to Corey Goostrey who came back with 59 and 4-42 to show his full potential. Lewis Wrathall added 46 as Oaks reached 259-7. Lewis added 3 wickets to his day's work and another 3 from Jacko saw off the Frogboilers for 65 all out. The roll was on and Gargrave couldn't come close to stopping it as Jack Ellis 63 heralded the Division Three Championship as we posted 193 including 46 from a free-scoring Ollie Stell. Who else but Ian Jackson could finish the job with 6-44 and a repeat 4-42 from Corey. Gargrave made 88. So there the title was ours ahead of the First Xl who were also chasing their title.  With the pressure off, Corey grabbed 5-15 in undermining Haworth Road lls at 41-8, Oaks didn't lose a wicket taking those points. And finally a local derby with West End to seal a fabulous season. Corey Goostrey again took the plaudits with 86 in probably his last match for Oakworth as his return to Australia was scheduled for November. Sam Chipman scored 57 for West End in their 171-7 but this was well shy of Oakworth's magnificent 226-7 20 wins and 60 points was our best ever 2nd Xl return.

What a season! Fourteen times our opponents failed to reach 100 runs whilst Oaks passed 200 on six occasions. The batting was a smorgasbord with lots of things on offer. Super fit Steve Hartley was leading scorer with 318 runs followed by no less than seven with over 200!! Ben Fothergill 227, Brannan Lawn 226, Oliver Stell 224, Stevie Powell 222, Robert Hollingsworth 221, Corey Goostrey 213 and Adam Smith 208. Marvellous. There was another five over 100.

The team tally was 3,161 runs, our highest since 2003. With only 143 wickets lost the team run-rate was 22.10, also the highest since 2003. We had three centurions; Ben Fothergill, Brannan Lawn and Jack Ellis and that extraordinary club record 3rd wicket stand of 217.

The bowlers were also a revelation. 195 wickets were snapped up for only 2,266 runs at a staggeringly low 11.62 each. One third of those wickets, 65 went to the indefatigable Ian Jackson, who picked off no less than eight 5-fors. His average was an incredible 6.83 and it was no surprise that he most deservedly captured the Division Three Bowling Prize. But the attack wasn't a one-man band with Adam Smith rattling up another 40 and six 5-fors before his elevation to the First Xl. Corey Goostrey was a delight to have in the side and his 23 wickets came at just 9.43 each. A slightly subdued Jack Ellis tallied 16 with Michael Davison on 13 and Lewis Wrathall on 12.

To cap the finest of seasons Simon Howell garnered 21 wicket-keeping victims, our highest since 1984.

The 2012 season will be entirely something else. For the first time our 2nd Xl will face First Xls every week. It will not be easy and as things stand we can expect that Corey wont return [unless we can find a job for him?] and Adam should consolidate his First Xl place. Lewis too should be in contention for a regular First team position. The squad is strong and there is much talent to emerge yet from the junior section and the 3rd Xl. Matty Lee, James Lee, Jack Keighley, Oliver Huck, Ben Howell and Sam Nettleton are but just the tip of the iceberg!

There is also the prospect that Ian Jackson may hang up his fantastic bowling boots and he is almost irreplaceable!