Woodlands finish unbeaten as Farsley are relegated
 
Posted: September 15, 2007

 

 

 

Champions Woodlands completed the 2007 JCT 600 Bradford League Division One season unbeaten by defeating Bradford & Bingley who were the last side to achieve the feat back in 1992.

Their 63-run victory was their 21st win in 26 matches and was achieved on a day when Pudsey Congs defeated Farsley by 159 runs to seal second place for themselves and condemned their rivals to relegation.

The hero of Woodlands' latest win was batsman Adam Goldthorpe. He rescued his side from the depths of 60-5 with a stunning innings of 112 which enabled them to post a total of 220-9. Goldthorpe hit two sixes and 19 fours as he dominated the bowling. Richard McCarthy was the best of the Bradford & Bingley bowlers with three for 47.

Bradford & Bingley soon ran in to trouble against the bowling of Tosh Baker (5-34) when they replied. They plunged to 52-5 and despite the efforts of their skipper Carl Sharp who carried his bat through the innings for an unbeaten 66, they were dismissed for 157.

Pudsey Congs made sure of runners-up spot for the third successive year when they sent Farsley plunging into Division Two.

Congs scored a daunting 313-7 against a tame Farsley bowling attack. Andrew Bourke (84), Scott Cunningham (70) and Andrew Bairstow (53) led the run feast. Farsley's most successful bowler was their wicketkeeper David Syers. He took off his pads and gloves to bowl off spin late in the innings and picked up three for 20.

His efforts enabled Farsley to collect three bowling points and it meant - as news had already come through that Brighouse had been bowled out for just 36 by Bowling Old Lane and lost by nine wickets - that they needed to score 225 runs to stay up.

Unfortunately for Farsley followers they never looked like reaching their goal of maximum batting points. Their top order, with the exception of defiant Shabbir Rashid (59no), surrendered tamely and they were eventually dismissed for 154. Glenn Roberts (3-13) and Tom Glover (3-32) were the pick of the bowlers on a day Farsley will want to forget.

They finished two points behind Brighouse who were fortunate to survive after their humiliating defeat by Bowling old Lane. Last season's Division Two champions guaranteed their survival with some style. Skipper Zubair Najeeb took seven for 14 as Brighouse were routed for 36. Old Lane, who scored a crucial win over farsley last week, eased home for the loss of one wicket in just 6.4 overs.

East Bierley cruised to a comfortable 72-run win over Pudsey St lawrence but despite taking 19 points they had to settle for third place - three points adrift of Pudsey Congs.

Lee Goddard (83), Toby Drummond (50) and Jaffer Nazir (45) powered them to a score of 217 all out as off spinner Chris Marsden (5-40) and James Smith (4-62) proved to be the best of the St Lawrence bowlers.

Marsden also top scored with 71 - an innings containing six sixes and five fours - in a disappointing St Lawrence reply of 145. Greg Lambert was the chief destroyer with five for 39 while Nazir, on his farewell outing, took three for 43. Wicketkeeper Goddard crowned his performance by taking three catches and a stumping.

Cleckheaton made sure of fourth place when they defeated bottom team Idle by 49 runs. Overseas player Mohammad Zaman was the key contributor for Cleckheaton. He top scored with 46 in their total of 183 and took four for 35 as Idle were dismissed for 134. Paul Cummins was again the pick of the Idle batsmen with 43.

Hanging Heaton, one time relegation candidates, rounded off their season with a three-wicket win over Manningham Mills which took them into seventh place. Skipper Alan Mynett (41no) and Farhan Khan (40) steered their side to victory after an early collapse threatened their chances of overhauling a Mills score of 175. Gamaal Hussain (3-48) was again the best of the Mills bowlers. In the Mills innings, Nasser Jamal top scored with 42 while spinner Shafiq Akhtar (3-28) was the best Hanging Heaton bowler.

Baildon opener Simon Webb (93) and Simon Davies (67) shared a first-wicket partnership of 166 as their side cruised to a 149-run win over Saltaire. Former Saltaire player Tabbi Bhatti (44) also chipped in with valuable runs as Baildon made 277-6 despite the efforts of Saltaire skipper Ijaz Khan (4-66) on his return from suspension.

Mansha Khan (44) and Fawad Maqsood (35) were the two main contributors as Saltaire tumbled to 128 all out. Opening bowler Suyash Burkul picked up four for 53 and leg spinner Jamie Abbott (4-46).

 

 
 
 
   
   
 
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