JCT 600 Bradford League first teams review September 8, 2007

Posted: Sunday, September 9, 2007

Yeadon skipper David Leather receives the Division Two championship trophy from JCT 600 Bradford League chairman GrahamReid

Yeadon were crowned as the JCT 600 Bradford League Division Two champions after a crushing seven-wicket win over Lightcliffe and they will be joined in Division One next season by Esholt who pipped Keighley at the post for promotion.

Esholt clinched a place in the top flight for the first time by collecting 19 points from a 157-run win over Morley and that was enough to take them two points in front of Keighley who earned 15 points for an eight-wicket win at Spen Victoria.

Yeadon, who needed only five points to be assured of the championship, gained 16 from their victory over Lightcliffe. Steve Cobley (4-32) and Richard Wood (4-44) helped bowl out Lightcliffe for 125. Overseas star Aamer Sajjad then guided them to their victory target with an unbeaten 57.

Esholt clinched promotion with an emphatic win. Morley, who still had an outside chance of promotion at the start of the day, were bowled out for just 61 - losing their last five wickets for one run. Robin Hill (3-1), Ben Platt (3-5) and Nadeem Hanif (3-29) were the destroyers.

Esholt had earlier made 218-9 thanks to useful contributions from Javed Bashir (36), Ben Platt (31) and Shahzaib Khan (30). Teenage off spinner Tom Smith (3-62) was Morley's most successful bowler on a day that Esholt's spectators will never forget.

Esholt's run of 79 points from their last four games ultimately proved decisive as they edged out Keighley for second place. Keighley showed their customary bowling efficiency to bowl out Spen Victoria for 97 with Max Davidson taking (3-18) and Richard Robinson (3-38) Opener Callum Geldart (43) was Spen's top scorer.

Keighley lost two early wickets but cruised to victory with opener Matthew Bottomley making an unbeaten 50 and Lee Gordon (41no). Unfortunately for them it was not enough to stave off the storming finish of Esholt.

Spen Victoria's defeat means they will have to apply for re-election along with hartshead Moor. Windhill leap-frogged over Spen Victoria with a six-wicket win at Bankfoot. Their match-winner was again overseas Aftab Khan who made a sparkling 102 - an innings which contained two sixes and 17 fours. Skipper Paul Mosey was unbeaten on 42 when Windhill overhauled the Bankfoot total of 220-6 with 11.2 overs to spare. Craig Johnstone was Bankfoot's top scorer with 35.

Gomersal, who still had a slim mathematical chance of promotion at the start of play, suffered a 36-run defeat against Great Horton.

Iqbal Khan (56) and Talish Butt (51) helped Great Horton to a challenging score of 242 all out. Bradley Drake (4-36) and Rob Burton (3-55) were the pick of the Gomersal bowlers.

Great Horton were dismissed in 43.3 overs so Gomersal had 56overs in which to chase victory. Despite another fine innings of 81 from opener Richard Gould, Gomersal could only reach 206-9.

Undercliffe ended a disappointing season on a high note with a 24-run win over Hartshead Moor. Darren Blenkiron hit 84 and was supported by Ben Heritage (45), Faraq Hussain (42no) and Simon Kellett (34) as a total of 236-5 was posted.

Overseas batsman Adnan Raees gave the Hartshead Moor reply a spectacular start with a 20-ball half-century off just 22 balls with six sixes and five fours.

Trent Otto (50) and Daniel Squire (36) were the other main contributors as Hartshead Moor were dismissed for 212, off spinner Heritage finishing with four for 47.

The Division One relegation battle is going down to the wire. Wins for Bowling Old Lane and Brighouse mean that Farsley are now second from bottom and in danger of dropping into Division Two along with idle whose relegation was confirmed when they lost by six runs to Manningham Mills.

Bowling Old lane boosted their chances of remaining in the top flight by defeating Farsley by 12 runs. Their match-winner was skipper Zubair Najeeb who took five for 12. He was instrumental in triggering the dramatic late collapse which saw Farsley lose their last four wickets for three runs as they were dismissed for 146. David Syers top scored with 37.

Old Lane were indebted to Amjid Hussain (42) for helping them recover from 69-7 to post an eventual total of 158. Kallum Fernando was Farsley's best bowler with four for 42.

Brighouse ended their lean spell with an eight-wicket win at Saltaire. Tim Lin;ey (4-66) and Chris Greenwood (3-42) helped dismiss Brighouse for 190 - a total which owed much to the efforts of Fawad Maqsood (65) and Aftab Ahmed (39).

Brighouse knocked off the runs with three overs to spare. Mark Gill (63no) and James Clarke (50no) guided them home to a win which earned them 18 points. It means they now have 191 points - one more than Bowling Old Llane and five more than Farsley.

Brighouse face a key match on the final day of the season when they entertain Bowling Old Lane, while Farsley face a tough game at second-placed Pudsey Congs.

Idle were condemned to life in Division Two next season despite a brave performance against Manningham Mills. The Mills made 213-6 thanks to 77 from Shezad Aslam and 40 from Muenoddin Kadri. Idle looked to have little chance when they slid to 80-6, but Steve Thompson (44), Graham Dobson (34) and Andrew Marshall (23) helped the side to make 207. Gemaal Hussain took four for 54.

At the other end of the table, Pudsey Congs leap-frogged over East Bierley into second place with a 45-run win over Bradford & Bingley. Matthew Doidge (75), Andrew Bairstow (58) and Babar Butt (30) guided Congs to a total of 230-8.

Bradford & Bingley were dismissed for 185 in reply with Mark Beckett top scoring with 50, Tom Glover took three for 56 and Elliott Wilson (3-59).

Congs are now two points in front of East Bierley who suffered a one-wicket defeat at Hanging Heaton. Opener Gharib Razak hit two sixes and 13 fours as he made a sparkling 113 not out as East Bierley made 197-7.

Big-hitting Thilan Thushara (76) hits six sixes and six fours to provide the impetus which enabled Hanging heaton to scrape home. Left arm spinner Luke Jarvis again impressed for East Bierley and took five for 38.

Cleckheaton moved into fourth place with a 110-run win over Baildon. Left armer Craig Wiseman took five for 30 and Ian Wood (4-13) as Baildon capitulated to 63 all out in reply to Cleckheaton's total of 173. Skipper John Wood (42) and Ian Nicholson (33) were the main contributors as Mushtaq Ahmed took four for 30 for Baildon.

Champions Woodlands were without regulars Safraz Ahmed, Chris Brice and Nichy Rushworth but still managed to defeat Pudsey St Lawrence by 85 runs to extend their unbeaten record to 25 games.

Pieter Swanepoel was their match winner taking five for 27 and making an unbeaten 44 - the top score in a Woodlands total of 215-6. Scott Richardson (38) and Tosh Baker (36) were the other main contributors. For St Lawrence, Tom Stray (45) and James Smith (35) were the only batmen to make an impression as they were dismissed for 130.

Esholt celebrate their promotion success