Lightcliffe set the pace at the top of Division One

Posted: April 29, 2007

Lightcliffe, who only escaped relegation with a win on the final day of last season, are setting the pace at the top of the JCT 600 Bradford League Second Teams Division One after recording a four-wicket win over Pudsey Congs.

Richard Powe blasted his way to a rapid 65 as Lightcliffe eased past Pudsey Congs' total of 179. Powe hit two sixes and nine fours and enabled his side to cash in on the good bowling of Sam Godden (4-24) which kept Congs in check after good early contributions from Sean Blanchard (43), Phil Allinson (40) and Steve Gunner (33).

Last season's Division Two champions proved too good for the Division One title holders Woodlands. Old Lane, who had lost their opening game by one-wicket to Sovereign Health Care Priestley Shield holders East Bierley, showed they can be a force in the top flight with a 50-run triumph.

Hasib Younis took five for 34 as Old Lane dismissed Woodlands for 159 despite a defiant 47 from Richard Godfrey. Old Lane's score of 209 had owed much to the solid early batting of Rashid Ramzan (43) and Khalid Rehman (30).

East Bierley moved into second place with a three-wicket win over Baildon. At 49 for six in reply to Baildon's 212-7, East Bierley didn't appear to be in the hunt.But Leigh Abbott (49) sparked an amazing revival which was crowned when the eighth-wicket pair of Chris Brook (63not out) and Liam Walsh (35 not out) sealed the win with an unbroken stand of 61.

Earlier Dan Abbott had taken three for 57 in the Baildon innings which was dominated by a score of 68 from Kieran Morton.

Farsley's Shabir Rashid struck two sixes and 16 fours as he scorched to 103 in his side's 30-run win over Saltaire in a high-scoring game. Steven Cockshott (43) and Ikram Qadoos (39) made valuable contributions to a total of 306 for seven. Young bowler Joe Greaves took four for 83 and Nathan Lumb (3-72) as Saltaire were dismissed for 276.

Opening bowler Chris Rhodes took six for 23 as Gomersal secured a 73-run success against esholt. Number 10 Craig Bagley with 20 was Esholt's top scorer as they were dismissed for 156. Gomersal had made 229 for nine with the in-form Usman Salim hitting 49 while Alan Sumner made 42 and Danny Regan (41). Stewart Houlbrook (3-60) and Steph Garbus (3-46) were Esholt's most successful bowlers.

Hanging Heaton overcame an attack of the nerves to defeat yeadon by one wicket. They looked to be having little trouble while Ben Gilbert (61) and James Byrne (38) were at the wicket, but after they departed a clatter of wickets saw Hanging Heaton just scrape home. Nick Darfield (4-27) and Jon Carey (3-44) tried their hardest to secure victory for Yeadon but they were out of luck.

Yeadon's defeat owed much to a disappointing total of 154 of which Paul Machell made 33 and Andrew Pickering (32) Chris Goodaire (3-40) and Pete Byrne (3-31) were the most successful Hanging Heaton bowlers.

Anthony Yelding took six for 45 to bowl Pudsey St Lawrence to a 135-run win over Keighley. Thanks to Yelding, Keighley were bowled out for 132.

St lawrence had made 267 for seven with teenage batsmen Gareth Duckworth making an unbeaten 58, Kasir Maroof (47) and Niall Coleman (38). Andrew Waggett took four for 65 for Keighley.

Manningham Mills are setting the pace in Division Two.They have a five-point lead over Idle after defeating Brighouse by 122 runs. Qasim Shafiq hit an unbeaten 70 and Mohammad Faisal (40) as Mills made 225-6. Brighouse perished for 103 as Syed Ahmed took four for 21.

Idle were made to fight hard for their one-wicket win over Bradford & Bingley. Wicketkeeper Steve Bishop eventually saw them home with an unbeaten 31. Danny Trowers (3-29) and Michael Clarke (3-19) kept Idle's nerves jangling.

Bradford & Bingley had made 151 all out batting first with Richard Slater (36) their top scorer as Paul Howker maintained his goo early season form with four for 39.

Third-placed Spen Victoria also had a one-wicket win in a low-scoring encounter at Undercliffe. Their hero was former Undercliffe bowler Richard Marsden who took six for 23 as the home side were dismissed for 72. Sohail Khan top scored with 27.

Spen found the going tough when they batted against the bowling of veteran Andy Wilsdon (3-24) and Sonny Matharu (3-23). Opener David Hester top scored with 18 but the man who sealed Spen's win was Marsden with 16 not out.

Cleckheaton's talented teenage twins Edward and Marcus Walmsley sparkled in their 125-run win over Hartshead Moor. Edward made an unbeaten 120, a superb innings containing three sixes and 15 fours, while Marcus made 70 before being run out. Their efforts enabled Cleckheaton to make a daunting 281 for four which Hartshead Moor never looked like matching as they made 156 for seven in reply.

Morley recorded their first win as they overcame Windhill by 61 runs. Michael Davies top-scored with 62 while Sam Medley and Andrew Hayward each made 35 in a Morley score of 202. Tahir Amin took four for 45 for Windhill.

Last week Windhill topped 300 against Bradford & Bingley, this week they were dismissed for 141 as Gareth ream claimed four for 48.

Skipper Shabir Ellahi took seven for 43 as Great Horton beat Bankfoot by 21 runs. His Bankfoot counterpart, Nick Gomersal, fought hard to spare his side from defeat. he was 54 not out when he ran out of partners. Great Horton had earlier benefited greatly from the efforts of their last man Jamil Akthar who hit 35 to swell his side's total to 139.