Posted August 12, 2006

Woodlands took another giant step towards retaining their SDS Bradford League Division One title as they crushed newly-promoted Brighouse by nine-wickets.

That result and Pudsey Congs' 40-run defeat by St Lawrence in the Pudsey derby means that Woodlands have extended their lead to 28 points.

And it sets things up for next Saturday when Woodlands tackle third-placed St Lawrence at Albert Terrace.

St Lawrence still believe that they can snatch the title. They are a further five points behind but know they have to win next week to retain a realistic hope with just six matches to play.

The task facing St Lawrence is a big one because Woodlands can do little wrong these days. The power of their bowling is proving too much for their opponents.

Brighouse were the latest to crumble. They have been posting some good scores recently, but Woodlands made sure they didn't build on that sequence as they dismissed their visitors for just 85 with Pieter Swanepoel taking six for 35.

Woodlands cruised to their target in 14.1 overs with opener Russell Murray finishing unbeaten on 38.

Woodlands collected 15 points for their win and satisfied with their day's work, many of their players headed off to Tofts Road and saw St Lawrence give them their second boost of the day.

St Lawrence made 244 for seven despite a slow start which saw them limp to 63 for three at the halfway stage. It was then that the impressive James Smith (79) and Gary Fellows (38) upped the tempo dramatically.

The scoring rate quickened to such an extent that 181 runs came in the second half of the St Lawrence innings. Smith hit three sixes and seven fours, and after he departed Iain Priestley blasted a quick 30 not out.

Congs made an even slower start than their opponents and struggled to cope with the bounce and movement the St Lawrence bowlers extracted from the pitch.

Opener Scott Cunningham battled hard to make 84, but he was never able to score at the rate his team required. Babar Butt (40) and Andy Bairstow (38) tried to quicken the scoring yet they too found it hard to get the bowlers away.

In the end the pressure told as St Lawrence skipper Andrew Doidge (3-66) and Smith (2-67) capitalised on the earlier efforts of Gary Severn and James Pearson.

Doidge had the satisfaction of dismissing the Congs dangerman, his older brother Matthew, for eight. He was also happy that his side had beaten Congs for the second time this season and collected 17 points from their latest triumph.

There was drama at the bottom of the table too. Morley collected a second successive win to keep alive their hopes of an escape from relegation.

They followed up their triumph over Idle with a 81-run win at Hanging Heaton. Ed Galek (50) and Sam Medley (45no) helped them to 207 for eight, then Nathan Bromby (4-26), right, went to work as Hanging Heaton were dismissed for 126. Thilan Thushara was their top scorer with 38.

Morley are now just 14 points behind Cleckheaton who went down to a six-wicket defeat against East Bierley. Cleckheaton were dismissed for 174 despite their overseas batsman Khurram Shehzad making 55. Jaffer Nazir was the destroyer with six for 53. Bierley cruised to victory with opener John Proud making a fine 69 and skipper Gavin Hamilton (39).

Bradford & Bingley's South African pace bowler Ethi Mbhalati is proving to be a match-winner. He took five for 47 and then turned hero with the bat as his side inflicted a one-wicket defeat on bottom team Keighley.

The visitors must have fancied their chances when they reduced Bradford & Bingley to 148-9 with Ross Towler taking four for 54 and Jamie Robinson (3-22), but an unbroken last wicket stand of 20 between Mark Beckett (47no) and Mbhalati (10no) ripped the game and a much needed win from their grasp. Bradford & Bingley have now won four games on the trot to move up to sixth.

Farsley skipper Ashley Metcalfe made his third century of the season, 115 not out, as his side cruised to a seven-wicket-win over Idle. The former Yorkshire opener hit two sixes and 15 fours. He was well supported by Ibraar Qadoos (43) and Matthew Green (36).

Idle had made 240 for nine batting first which owed much to a fine opening stand of 140 between the former Durham Academy player Paul Cummins (88) and Harvey Anderson (70).

Saltaire are making an art of pulling off victories from unpromising positions. This time they were 28 for four in reply to Baildon's 228 for eight but recovered to win by three wickets with big-hitting Khurram Maqsood (57no), Fawad Maqsood (47) and George Hicks (44no) taking the game by storm despite the efforts of Imran Amin (5-50).

Baildon had also been 28 for four in their innings, but unlike their previous two games they recovered with Matthew Duce (54), Johnny Reynolds (45) and David Clow (41) in the face of good bowling from Imran Arif (5-71).

Leaders Bowling Old Lane moved closer to the Division Two title with a 71-run win over Hartshead Moor, but second-place Manningham Mills plunged to a seven-wicket defeat against Great Horton which means that Spen Victoria - 30 run winners over Gomersal - are now just two points behind.

Opening bowler Zubair Najeeb took four for 35 as Old Lane dismissed Hartshead Moor for 135 in reply to their score of 206 in which Nahim Ashraf made 49 despite some good bowling from James Marshall (4-35). Old Lane collected 18 points and have a 26-point lead with just four games to go.

Manningham Mills seem to be having an attack of the promotion jitters.They were dismissed for 118 by Great Horton as Iqbal Khan took five for 35. Talish Butt (37) and Aftab Ahmed (36no) sped Great Horton to their win.

Having lost to Gomersal earlier in the season, Spen must have been fearful of a similar result when they entertained their near-neighbours without their skipper and top runscorer Matthew Taylor and their star all-rounder Chris Elstub.

But such worries proved groundless as good batting from David Syres (58), Matthew Speck (54) and stand-in captain Sam Anderson (40) saw them post a total of 249-5. Sri Lankan pace bowler Priyankara Silva hasn't had a lot of success but he came good with five for 32 as Gomersal were dismissed for 219. Their top scorers were former Spen men Matt Garside (43) and Rob Burton (35).

Undercliffe reshuffled their batting order after successive defeats by Hartshead Moor and Spen Victoria and it paid off. Ben Heritage, promoted to opener, made 59 and skipper Craig Hunt, moving down to number four made 65 as Undercliffe compiled a score of 220 for nine on their way to a 36-run win over Esholt.

Esholt, whose own promotion challenge appears to be fading out once again, started well through James Soulsby (55) and skipper Richard Whitehurst (38) before faltering badly against the bowling of Clarke (4-12) to be dismissed for 184.

Bankfoot's Nigel Hanson can't stop taking wickets. He added another five to his collection at a cost of 40 runs as Bankfoot defeated lowly Lightcliffe by 28 runs.

Bankfoot made 223 for six batting first with opener Simon Curry (57) and former Yorkshire batsman Neil Nicholson (56) hitting half centuries. Michael Nicholson chipped in with 41, Lightcliffe appeared to be going well when Jonathan Wilson (45) and James Horne (43) were together, but once they were parted the innings declined steadily to 195 all out. Now Lightcliffe face a battle to avoid having to apply for re-election.

Windhill's hopes of a third-successive win were shattered when they lost by three-wickets to Yeadon. Opener Leon Harber must have felt frustrated at the outcome after hitting two sixes and 15 fours in a knock of 103 which enabled Windhill to make 224 all out.

Yeadon squeezed home thanks to an unbeaten 55 from their skipper David Leather plus 49 from Steve Cobley.