Posted July 22, 2006

Brighouse were the only winners on a day when rain led to the abandonment of all the remaining Division One and Two games. They defeated relegation-threatened Keighley by four runs.

Brighouse moved up to joint fourth in the table on the strength of their success in a match which featured two century partnerships.

Skipper Mark Gilliver (71) and Gary Wainwright (38) put on 102 for Brighouse when they batted first. They provided a sound base which Haroon Rashid (36) - the older brother of Yorkshire's new leg-spinning discovery Adil - built on.

Skipper Steve Reape plugged away for Keighley and took five for 68 as the visitors closed on 208 for six.

Keighley made a bold bid to force the victory they so badly need. Openers Rob Bartlett (62) and Matthew Bottomley (40) shared a partnership of 111, but after they departed wickets fell at regular intervals as Rizwan Ahmed (4-57) went to work.

The result puts added pressure on Keighley for Sunday's match at Farsley which is a key game for them to win if they are to retain realistic hope of avoiding an immediate return to Division Two.

No team was happier to see the rain than champions Woodlands. They were dismissed for just 86 by Bradford & Bingley with South African pace bowler Ethi Mbhalati taking seven for 41 - his best Bradford League figures.

Only in-form Yorkshire all-rounder Richard Pyrah (43) showed the necessary application to combat Mbhalati and the evergreen Richard McCarthy (3-26).

Rain prevented Bradford & Bingley from starting their reply so Woodlands picked up just two points from the abandonment. No doubt they would have preferred an easier game than the one that confronts them at Hanging Heaton tomorrow. The home side defeated Woodlands in the Heavy Woollen Cup earlier this season.

Pudsey St Lawrence and Pudsey Congs were able to make small inroads into the 23-point lead the champions held going into the latest round of matches.

Second-placed St Lawrence collected six points from their abandoned game at Morley. Australian James Pearson (4-37) produced his best figures for St Lawrence while Morley's overseas player Shehzad Butt continued his rich vein of form with the bat by making a rapid 70 with four sixes and seven fours as Morley reached 190 for eight before play was halted by the rain.

Mohammed Azhar-Ullah, the young pace bowler who has taken over from Butt as Pudsey Congs' overseas this season, took four for 41 as they dismissed Saltaire of 185. Safaraaz Mahomed (67) and Gulsheraz Ahmed (45) were the top scorers for Saltaire. Congs were unable to start their reply and had to settled for seven points from the match.

Only 27.3 overs play was possible at Farsley where the home side were struggling at 107 for five against East Bierley. Alex Blakeborough was the one batsman to combat the tricky conditions with an unbeaten 50.

Hanging Heaton's Sri Lankan all-rounder Thilan Thushara gave another glimpse of his explosive batting. His unbeaten 56 was the highlight of Hanging Heaton's 170 for six in the 32 overs play that was completed before their game at Baildon was abandoned. Thushara raced to his half-century off 26 balls, hitting five sixes and four fours. Ismail Dawood (41) and Farhan Khan (33) were the other main contributors.

Cleckheaton skipper John Wood promoted himself to opener and responded with 50 as his side made 132 for four in 24 overs before the rain came. Khurran Shehzad chipped in with 33.

The top of Division Two clash between Manningham Mills and Bowling Old Lane was abandoned after the completion of the first innings. Sovereign Health Care Priestley Cup finalists Old Lane were restricted to 149 for nine in 42 overs - the match started 48 minutes late because of rain.

It meant that Mills collected four bowling points while Old Lane missed out on a batting point by one. As a result Mills now lead Old Lane by five points having started the day just one ahead.

Undercliffe were thwarted by the weather for the sixth time this season. They even declared after 33.1 overs with 201 for five on the board against Lightcliffe, but the rain prevented any further play. Overseas all-rounder Arun lal top scored with 76, an innings which contained five sixes and seven fours.

Former Spen Victoria left arm spinner Graham Austin turned in a good performance against his old club. He took four for 134 and backed up Nadeem Hanif (4-28) as Esholt dismissed their rivals for 105 at Spen Lane before play was washed out.

Saif Malik has proved to be a good capture for Yeadon. He took four for 44 as they restricted Great Horton to 150 for nine in the 35 overs play that was possible.

Bankfoot lost their first three wickets for 23 but had recovered to 120 for four when their game with Gomersal was abandoned.

The rain provided respite for bottom team Windhill. They were 66 for six against Hartshead Moor after 22.3 overs. Andrew Waudby picked up four for 41.