Pudsey St Lawrence powered to victory in the first Dyson Insulations Cup Twenty/20 final under the floodlight at Bradford & Bingley's Wagon Lane ground.

The win was set up by a stunning batting performance which saw St Lawrence post a total of 223-4 in their 20 overs after being asked to bat first.

The strokeplay of opener Alex Stead was simply breathtaking and his innings of 97 illuminated a match which provided plenty of entertainment for the sizeable crowd.

Stead struck four sixes and 14 fours during a 50-ball innings which was full of powerful attacking strokes and he was joined in second-wicket stand of 143 by Gareth Clough who made 64 off just 32 balls with four sixes and four fours.

Scott Etherington is bowled by Matthew Lumb

Alex Stead strikes another boundary

Chris Thompson is bowled by Alex Stead Pictures: Charlie Perry To see more pictures: http://photos-by-charlie.fpic.co.uk/

The only pity was that Stead didn't go on to complete the hundred he so richly deserved after playing so well. The rich applause he received as he made his way back to the pavilion after being caught by wicketkeeper Matthew Duce off Chris Thompson showed what the crowd thought of his outstanding exhibition.

Such was the ferocity of the attack launched by Stead and Clough that all the Bradford & Bingley bowlers suffered. In the semi-final against East Bierley the previous night Chris Thompson (1-4) and Matthew Cockshott (2-14) had bowled eight overs for just 18 runs. This time there eight overs yielded 82 runs. Thompson took (2-39) and Cockshott (0-43)

Faced by such a big target Bradford & Bingley needed a good start and they certainly got one. Openers Simon Davies and Matthew Duce took 24 from Alex Stead's first over to set the tone.

Bradford & Bingley were 64-0 after four overs and were well ahead of the run rate at that point. It provoked thoughts among the crowd of a Bradford & Bingley win.

But such hopes quickly started to fade after Davies, who hit a couple of powerful lofted drives, skied a catch to Mark Robertshaw off Clough's bowling.

Duce continued to take the fight to Pudsey St Lawrence but once he departed for 42 and dangerman Chris Thompson was dismissed for 20, Pudsey St lawrence were in control.

Duce was the first of four victims for St Lawrence skipper Mark Robertshaw who finished with figures of four for 21.

Victory was finally secured with five balls remaining when Bradford & Bingley's last man Richard Slater was caught by Richard Marsden off the bowling of Chris Marsden to trigger St Lawrence's celebrations.

St Lawrence had won by 45 runs but both teams had entertained in a match which had much to commend it.