The 2007 season 

A first fixture at home to Bingley Congs re-affirmed that premise with a resounding 141-run winning margin. Despite a one-man show from Neil Copping (63 & 3-48), Graham Rankin dropped right on the money with 76 and Andy Dawson showed maturity with 3-10. There followed a narrow 6-run win over an Embsay side ably led by Duncan Ward and Scott Robinson but who were pulled up short by 4 wickets from Jason Bilbrough.

A match of 498 runs at West Lane, Haworth brought Michael Scarborough 93 to the headlines with Rankin's 5-75 also prominent.

The match was almost snatched by the home side after a most amazing batting blitz from League top man Damien Rowell, who smashed 146 only to be caught on the boundary with his side just 3 runs short of victory.

The Area-wide deluge produced 4 draws but another collapse resulted in a 26 run loss to Embsay (Steve Speak 5-26) after impressive bowling from teenager Scott Hartley (3-14).

Revenge wins over Thornton and Cowling just about kept Oaks in the hunt with an 8-4-4 outsider record. The last 6 matches  were to be show-cased with a match at Cullingworth who were battling hard for the top with Thornton, whom Oaks had knocked off top perch. As usual the match at Cullingworth proved a real stormer! Aussie opener Dave Cavanagh made an aggressive 110 with massive support from all his team mates and a 323-5 statement was made, Scott Hartley again showing his promise with 4-77. A club record 3rd wicket stand of 187 carried Oaks to a stunning win with 324-2. The partnership came from Graham Rankin with 103no and Michael Scarborough on 98no.

Michael Thompson 63 and 15 year old Luke Taylor 4-42 led us to a last match winning chase of 222-9 at Glusburn but it was scant consolation as the 3 matches in between were lost to Crossflatts, Bradley and a revitalised Sandy Lane, albeit by just 2 runs.So in a year including wins over Embsay, Thornton and Cullingworth our boys slipped to sixth place. Where did it go wrong? Well there are two propositions to consider. Firstly Oaks progressed to the Black Sheep Trophy semi-final against Pudsey Congs, a match ultimately switched to Wide Lane. Oaks loss was pretty well predictable and the record innings of 210 by Scott Cunningham only rubbed the salt in a little. So there was a major distraction.

But examination of the year's stats shows clearly equal causes to be a decline in bowling potency and inexplicable batting collapses. It was true that speedster Scott Hartley (24 wkts in 110 overs) had satisfactorily replaced Chris White, whose growing persona had not lived up to his known bowling pedigree. Graham Rankin too maintained his form with 32 in 155overs. The loss of wickets came firstly from Jason Bilbrough through early season injury and late season suspension. His average of 15.3 was sorely often missed as he bowled just 63 overs, taking 16 wickets. More alarmingly 187 overs from Michael Scarborough produced a noticeable decline in economy (63) and strike rate (37) resulting in 30 wickets at for him a poor 23.87. Andy Dawson out-turned an excellent average of 17.74 but once again he only bowled 92 overs in 13 appearances.

On the positive side Oaks had three high quality batting qualifiers in Rankin (401), Scarborough (467) and our own Peter Pan Steve Hartley (397). Drew Duffy returned to better form with 281 whilst regular no 3 Joel Gallagher chipped in a useful 207. Tim Walsh looked as good as ever with willow in hand and made 210 runs but appeared only 11 times.

The contribution of 197 from a more confident (married) Michael Thompson also bode well but in his second season Matt Green managed just 118 and a best of 32, saving his best for the Black Sheep Trophy. If Matt hasn't yet found form, one to have lost it big style along with his wristwatch is Luke Scott, who totalled only 25 runs in 7 innings. Finally the skipper turned out just 6 times before injury ruled him out.

The batting was as much to blame overall with collapses against Thornton, Cowling, Cullingworth, Embsay and Bradley in the end very telling. Drew Duffy was top out-fieldsman with 7 catches and Tim Walsh with 15 victims edged to within 5 of Peter Gallagher's club record of 266 all-match victims. He does though trail Peter by 44 in league matches.

The Keighley Cup campaign never got off the ground at all as Oaks along with others were ejected by the committee for failing to fulfill a tie in the diminishing time left after Wynn Cup and Black sheep Trophy re-arrangements.

The batting line up will be shorn of Steve Hartley who will head for quieter times with the 2nd XI but his replacement will be none other than our old mate Rob Hopkinson, who has opted to return to Oaks from the Bradford League.