Posted: September 10, 2006

 

 

Champions Woodlands will take a nine point lead into the final round of fixtures of the season next Saturday.

They go to Saltaire knowing that if they win they cannot be caught by their two main challengers Pudsey Congs and Pudsey St Lawrence.

Woodlands showed that their defeat against East Bierley was just a blip as they romped to a seven-wicket win over Idle. They dismissed the visitors for 129 with Safraz Ahmed taking four for 14 and then eased home with Scott Richardson hitting an unbeaten 56 and Nicky Rushworth (39).

Woodlands collected 15 points and saw Pudsey Congs make up three points on them with their 64-run win over lowly Morley.

Andrew Bairstow hit 90 as the Congs made 203 for nine despite some good bowling from off spinner Steve Lane (4-47). Morley struggled against the bowling of Neil Gill (5-31) and Muhammad Azhar Ullah (3-33) as they were dismissed for 139.

The result means Morley now have to win their final game of the season at East Bierley and hope that Cleckheaton don't pick up more than five points against bottom team Keighley if they are to survive.

Third-placed Pudsey St Lawrence are 13 points adrift of Woodlands after taking 15 points from a nine-wicket win over Brighouse.

Brighouse's innings was dominated by an unbeaten 60 from Division One's leading runscorer Rizwan Ahmed. James Smith was the most successful St Lawrence bowler with four for 27.

St Lawrence eased to their target with Mark Robertshaw making an unbeaten 52 and Mark Whitehead (41no).

Farsley guaranteed their survival with a seven-wicket success against Baildon. They dismissed the lack-lustre visitors for 129, a score which was boosted considerably by the efforts of Mushtaq Ahmed who hit an unbeaten 51 coming in at number nine. Chris Henry (4-54) and Robert Thornton (3-48) were the chief destroyers.

Farsley ensured it was a miserable return to Red Lane for their former skipper Ian Philliskirk as Alex Blakeborough (36no) and Ibrar Qadoos (33no) steered their side home to a precious 15 points.

The day's most spectacular batting came at hanging Heaton where their Sri Lankan professional Thila Thushara smashed 18 sixes and five fours in a stunning innings of 153 which set them on course for a 117-run win.

Openers Chris Schofield (84no) and Zak Morris (54) also piled on the runs as Hanging Heaton made an impressive 327 for two.

Cleckheaton made a promising start with skipper John Wood hitting 45 and Ian Nicholson (39), but Bandulla Don sparked a middle-order collapse and [ut his side on course for victory despite the efforts of Tom Pringle (48).

Keighley suffered another defeat. This time they lost by two-wickets to east Bierley in a low-scorimg encounter. Keighley were restricted to 137 for nine as Paul Hutchison took four for 38, but Bierley also found runs hard to come by.

Skipper Gavin Hamilton (39) top scored as Bierley experienced some problems against the bowling of Ross Towler (4-50) and Richard Robinson (4-30).

Gusheraz Ahmed continued his good form for Saltaire with an unbeaten 82 as they defeated Bradford & Bingley by three wickets at Roberts Park.

The visitors had slumped to 35 for five batting first before Mark Beckett revived them with an innings of 76. Saltaire skipper Ijaz Ahmed (4-28) and Imran Arif (3-59) were the pick of their bowlers.

Manningham Mills clinched the second promotion spot in Division Two with a 52-run win over Windhill which was inspired by their all-round Nissar Jamal. The former Laisterdyke player hammered five sixes in a knock of 68 which swelled the Mills score to 224 all out and followed up by taking five for 48 to seal his side's win.

Leon Harber (5-47) bowled extremely well for Windhill while Tony Jones (58) and skipper Dean Skillicorn (38no) struck out lustily and troubled Mills until Jamal returned to the attack to dismiss Jones and last man Dale McKenzie in successive balls.

Mills collected 18 points and finished five clear of Spen Victoria who sentenced Lightcliffe to having to apply for re-election after inflicting a six-wicket defeat on them.

All-rounder Chris Elstub could hardly have done more for the Spen cause. He took eight for 22, including a hat-trick, as Lightcliffe were dismissed for 130. Elstub then followed up with a knock of 64 as he and skipper Matt Taylor (56no) shared a second-wicket stand of 107.

Champions Bowling old Lane were presented with the championship trophy before the start of their match at Undercliffe and were later handed their fifth defeat of the season.

Kamran Siddique enjoyed his promotion up the batting order by making 56, while Imran Mirza (46) and Amjid Khan (41) pushed the OLd Lane score up to 226 for nine.

Undercliffe paced their run chase well with opener James Clarke (110no) leading the way with a superb century. Clarke hit three six and 12 fours and was joined in an unbeaten third-wicket stand of 154 by David Taylor who struck four sixes and nine fours in a hard-hit 88not out. Undercliffe clinched their eight-wicket win with 20 balls to spare.#

Another batsman to make a century was Hartshead Moor's Shoaib Khan. He stroked his way to 119 as his side banished any prospect of having to apply for re-election with a 41-run win.

Skipper Matthew Evans (58) shared a third-wicket stand of 125 with Khan as Moor built Aa score of 280 for six. When Esholt batted opener James Soulsby made a fine 84, but Andy Halford ensured that Hartshead Moor won with impressive figures of eight for 85.

Gomersal's Sri Lankan professional Malintha Thotiwilage made an elegant 9i5 as his side made 236 all out before dismissing Yeadon for 86. Craig Woodhead took four for 21 and Rob Burton (3-21).

Opening bowler Nasser Hussain took six for 48 as Great Horton defeated Bankfoot by 36 runs. Only skipper Micky Hutchins (35) offered much resistance as Bankfoot were bowled out for 90.

Hussain had early top-scored with 23 in the Great Horton inngs of 126 all out. Once again Nigel Hanson posed problems and returned figures of five for 61.