Posted: May 29, 2006

It's been an eventful day in the SDS Bradford League. The only two unbeaten teams, Pudsey Congs and Manningham Mills both lost and as a result lost the leadership of Division One and Two respectively.

Both were beaten by the teams who have replaced them at the top of their respective divisions. Pudsey St Lawrence defeated Congs by 52 runs, while Great Horton triumphed by five wickets over Mills.

It was a day that also brought first wins for the Division Two trio of Yeadon, Gomersal and Hartshead Moor and left the two bottom teams in either division, Keighley and Windhill as the only teams still to pick up a 10point win bonus this season.

There was also the season's first tie with the scores finishing level in the Division One clash between Baildon and Saltaire, while Keighley's Steve Reape performed the hat-trick in his side's abandoned match with Bradford & Bingley.

But on a day with so many talking points the most significant action came at the Britannia Ground where Gary Fellows gave a sparkling exhibition of batting to make 142 as St Lawrence defeated Congs by 52 runs to regain the leadership.

Fellows' innings contained one six and 17 fours and enabled St Lawrence to gain maximum bating points again as they posted a score of 255 for five. Congs were restricted to 207 for nine in reply despite a battling 88 from Bradley Parker. St Lawrence skipper Andrew Doidge - at last securing a win over his brother Matthew the Congs' captain - was the pick of their bowlers with five for 65.

St Lawrence, who started the day one point behind Congs, finished it 13 ahead of the them after taking 19 points to their rivals' five. To add to Congs disappointment, Woodlands thrashed Brighouse by eight wickets to leap-frog over them into second place. The champions have 87 points, three more than Congs.

Opening bowlers Safraz Ahmed (6-24) and Pieter Swanepoel (4-43) were the destroyers as Brighouse, who have faded after a bright start to the season, were dismissed for just 69. Scott Richardson made an unbeaten 37 to steer his side home.

Idle bounced back from the shock of being knocked out of the Sovereign HealthCare Priestley Cup 24 hours earlier by defeating Farsley by eight-wickets to keep their grip on fourth place.

Sri lankan Dinusha Fernando removed the first four batsmen and Andy Marshall the last five as Farsley were dismissed for 96. Fernando finished with four for 32 and Marshall (5-17).

Idle were sped to their victory target by opener Harvey Anderson who made an undefeated 71. He punctuated his innings with 11 fours.

The first tie of the season came in match at Jenny Lane between Saltaire and Baildon. Tabissum Bhatti had a fine game for Saltaire making an unbeaten 79 after taking three for 36 in the Baildon innings.

Baildon made 182 for nine declared in a match where 24 overs were lost to rain after the start. Phil Slater batted with great purpose to make 59 for Baildon while skipper Ian Philliskirk made 33.

Saltaire went boldly for the runs when they replied. Gharib Razak (32) and Sarfaraz Mahomed (40) both providing support for the impressive Bhatti. Saltaire finished on 182 for five which meant they took 11 bonus points to Baildon's nine because they took four more wickets.

East Bierley made it three wins out of three over the Bank Holiday weekend, but they had to fight hard for their seven run success against Cleckheaton. Kez Ahmed continued his good form with the bat by making the top score of 45 in East Bierley's innings of 156 for eight. John Proud (36) was the next highest scorer while Craig Wiseman (3-40) was the most successful Cleckheaton bowler.

Once again overseas batsman Khurrum Shehzad held the key for Cleckheaton. While he was at the wicket they had a great chance of victory, but when he departed for 48 their hopes went with him. Jaffer Nazir (4-43), Kez Ahmed (3-20) and Grant Soames (2-25) all bowled tidily.

Rain interrupted the matches between Hanging Heaton and Morley and Keighley and Bradford & Bingley resulting in both becoming incomplete games because the side batting second didn't have the opportunity to face the same number of overs as their opponents.

Keighley's Steve Reape claimed a hat-trick as his side dismissed Bradford & Bingley for 178. Mark Beckett (55) and Chris Thompson (45) top scored while Reape finished with figures of three for 26 for Keighley.

Bradford & Bingley came close to forcing a win. They had Keighley 122 for nine when time ran out. Paul Spragg (36) was the top scorer while Richard McCarthy (3-19) and Chris Thompson (3-36) were the pick of the bowlers.

Hanging Heaton have unearthed another big-hitting Sri Lankan. On the previous two days it was Bandula Don who stole the limelight, this time it was new overseas signing Thilan Thushara. He smashed six sixes and seven fours while making a blistering 95. His efforts helped Hanging Heaton to make 204 for eight.

Once again Morley's middle order failed when they replied. They struggled to 110 for seven with wicketkeeper Michael Cooper batting through the innings for an unbeaten 44.

Great Horton have taken over at the top of Division Two. They secured the leadership when they inflicted a first defeat on Manningham Mills. Great Horton dismissed their rivals for 131 with Rizwan Akbar (3-43) and Nasser Hussain (3-39) bowling well. Wicketkeeper Afsar Nawaz top scored with 55.

Opener Ziafat Ashraf made an unbeaten 51 as Great Horton eased home for the loss of five wickets. Great Horton now lead Mills by a single point.

Bankfoot maintained their good start to the campaign by defeating Lightcliffe by nine wickets. Overseas bowler Asad Ali took five for 40 as Lightcliffe were bowled out for 147 despite 42 from Richard Powe.

Bankfoot cruised home to victory with openers Michael Nicholson (72) and Simon Curry (40no) leading the charge.

Third-placed Undercliffe had hoped to return to winning ways against Esholt but rain intervened and as rivals Esholt didn't have the chance to face as many overs as them the game was incomplete giving both sides two points plus bonus points.

Undercliffe made 147 with former Esholt wicketkeeper John Barton top scoring with 36. Nadeem Hanif was the best Esholt bowler with four for 40. Esholt were always struggling after losing skipper Richard Whitehurst without a run on the board. Their sole objective after sliding to 53 for eight was preventing Undercliffe from bowling them out - something they had to do to stop them from getting the ten points. Esholt finished on 67 for eight.

Promotion hopefuls Spen Victoria and Bowling Old Lane both lost ground after losing to Gomersal and Hartshead Moor respectively - two teams who hadn't won before today.

Sri Lankan professional Malintha Thotuwilage was the star as Gomersal defeated near-neighbours Spen by 49 runs. Thotuwilage top scored with a delightful 78 as Gomersal made 181 all out. Former Gomersal left arm bowler James Russell took six for 43.

Spen's brittle batting again cracked under pressure and they were dismissed for 132 in reply despite a lively 40 from Steve James. Thotuwilage completed a fine individual display by taking four for 32.

Bowling Old Lane couldn't reproduce the form which had brought them cup success against Idle 24 hours earlier. They went down by 64 runs to Hartshead Moor. Opening bowler Ian Wardlaw took six for 24 as Old Lane were shot out for 86 in reply to Hartshead Moor's 150 for eight. Matthew Evans (39) was the main contributor for Hartshead Moor as Mohammad Hanif (6-46) kept the pressure on for Old Lane.

Yeadon also registered their first victory as they brushed aside Windhill by eight wickets. Overseas star Amir Sajjad was in outstanding form taking six for 12 as Windhill crumbled to 77 all out, then making 48 not out as his side sealed their win.