Champions turn on the power to defeat Congs

Posted: April 29, 2007

Tosh Baker on his way to a match winning 85

Champions Woodlands threw down the gauntlet to all their JCT 600 Bradford League Division One rivals after inflicting a 117-run win on last season's runners up Pudsey Congs to record their second 20 point maximum of the new season.

Woodlands looked a potent all-round force as they outplayed the new-look Congs with a performance which underlined both their all-round quality and immense desire to complete a hat-trick of title triumphs.

The heroes of their convincing win were new-boy Tosh Baker and dependable seam bowler Richard Spittlehouse.

Baker batted with patience and good sense as he made 85, an innings laced with 16 fours as he took charge at a time when his team looked in some trouble at 66 for three.

Nicky Rushworth (37) also batted extremely well while Chris Brice (28not out) and Safraz Ahmed (25not out) and valuable quick runs at the end of the innings as Woodlands posted a total of 262 for eight.

Congs were guilty of bowling too many balls which were hit for four and their generosity contrasted sharply with the meanness of the Woodlands bowlers who little strangled the life out of the Congs' innings.

The home side were unable to get any momentum into their batting as Richard Spittlehouse (5-23) and Brice (3-53) sealed their side's comfortable win.

Woodlands sit one point clear of East Bierley at the top of the table. East Bierley won by 22 runs at Baildon to collect 19 points with overseas player Jaffer Nazir taking four for 38 on his first outing of the season against one of his former clubs.

Baildon made a dreadful start to their reply to East Bierley's score of 209 for five as they plunged to nine for three. Jeremy Batty (55) and skipper Ian Philliskirk (35) tried hard to revive their side but their efforts weren't sufficient to deprive East Bierley of their second win of the season.

Wicketkeeper Lee Goddard top scored for East Bierley with 50, while skipper Gavin Hamilton (39), Thomas Owens (35not out), Andy Rennison (31) and Toby Drummond (31) all made valuable contributions.

James Smith hit an unbeaten 109 and took four for 47 as Pudsey St Lawrence secured a seven-wicket win over Bowling Old Lane to move into third place. Smith's powerful strokeplay, allied to a solid 39 from opener Mark Robertshaw, enabled St Lawrence to overhaul an Old Lane score of 183 for nine.

Amjid Khan (47) and Wajid Hussain (31) added 82 for the seventh-wicket for Old Lane after Smith (4-47) and Gareth Clough (3-49) had removed their early batting.

Brighouse skipper Mark Gilliver led from the front as his side defeated Manningham Mills by 120 runs to record their first win which earned them a 20-point maximum.

Gilliver hit four sixes and 14 fours in an innings of 113 and was well supported by Mark Gill (64not out) as Brighouse made 265 for four.

Manningham Mills had no answer to the bowling of Chris Greenwood (5-40) and Rizwan Ahmed (3-36) as they were dismissed for 145. Amar Rashid was their top scorer with 47.

Idle were also celebrating their first win. They defeated Bradford & Bingley by three wickets as they overhauled Bradford & Bingley's score of 248 for seven with two balls to spare. Danny Shuffe was their hero making his maiden JCT 600 Bradford League century.

Shuffe made 118, an innings which contained two sixes and 17 fours, and he was well supported by Paul Cummins (42) in a third-wicket partnership of 126.

Bradford & Bingley had built their total around a superb innings of 133 from former Baildon all-rounder Phil Slater. His innings was spiced up with three sixes and 13 fours and his main support came from his old Baildon colleague David Clow (37) in the face of some good bowling from Sri Lankan pace bowler Dilhara Lokuhettig (4-58).

Hanging Heaton sank to the bottom of the table after a nine-wicket loss to Cleckheaton. Ian Wardlaw (4-28) and John Wood (3-23) were the main wicket takers as Hanging Heaton were shot out for just 93. Opener Michael Nicholson hit a brisk 55 with five sixes and five fours as Cleckheaton sealed their first victory in 14.1 overs.

Saltaire were the fourth side to celebrate a first win. Theirs came at the expense of Farsley who they defeated by 87 runs. Gulsheraz Ahmed (79) and George Hicks (63) were the mainstays of the innings along with Aftab Ahmed (39) as Saltaire compiled 242 for eight. Chris Henry (5-47) was the pick of the Farsley bowlers.

Kallum Fernando (44) and Ashley Metcalfe (33) were the top scorers for farsley who plunged to 155 all out as the impressive Imran Arif claimed six for 40.

Esholt are setting a cracking pace in Division Two and have maximum points from their two games after thrashing ambitious Gomersal by 215 runs.

Opener Phil Carter stroked his way to an impressive 116 with three sixes and 13 fours, while skipper Richard Whitehurst hit 54 off just 30 balls and overseas Shazab Khan made an unbeaten 39 as Esholt built a score of 288 for seven.

Gomersal's batting line-up, one of the strongest in the division, looked woeful as they were dismissed for 73 as opening bowler Ben Lister took four for 22 and left arm spinner Ben Platt (4-31).

Esholt have a five-point lead over Morley and Yeadon who both recorded their second successive victories.

Morley's overseas star Shoaib Khan announced his arrival by making a blistering 148 with two sixes and 20 fours as his side beat5 Windhill by 93 runs. Khan dominated a second-wicket stand of 198 with opener Matt taylor who made 59. With Eddie Galek chipping in with 37, Morley posted a score of 304 for eight.

Windhill made 211 for eight in reply, a score which was boosted considerably by an unbeaten 81 from their wicketkeeper Luke Holroyd. Off spinner Steve Lane was the chief wicket-taker for Morley with five for 48.

Yeadon's new opener Andrew Robertson made 95 before being run out with his century insight as they defeated Hartshead Moor by 137 runs. Skipper David Leather (53) and overseas Aamir Sajjid (42) helped their side to a score of 246 for four.

It proved too many for Hartshead Moor who were dismissed for 109 as Tahir Mahmood (4-35) and Saif Malik (4-22) went to work.

Great Horton also notched a second win and are four points adrift of Morley and Yeadon. They rolled over Bankfoot for 86 with Iqbal Khan taking three for 16, and knocked off the runs for the loss of only two wickets.

Undercliffe are off the mark after overseas Arun Lal took six for 27 to clinch a 62-run win over Spen Victoria. Only Chris Elstub (57) offered any real resistance as Spen were dismissed for 128 in reply to an Undercliffe score of 190 for nine. Late runs from former Spen wicketkeeper John Barton (33not out) and Ziafat Hussain (25not out) proved decisive as they shared an unbroken last wicket stand of 53.

Keighley recovered from their opening day defeat by Bankfoot to beat Lightcliffe by 110 runs. Australian opening bowler Greg Kennedy set up the success by taking six for 55 as Lightcliffe were dismissed for 84.

Keighley's score of 194 for nine owed much to the play of openers Steve Reape (59) and Richard Robinson (44). Lightcliffe's best bowler was James Horne (3-63)