Appleby Frodingham mark centenary in style as Bradford Premier title battle becomes two-horse race between Woodlands and Townville

LEADING ROLE: Harry Warwick scored 112 for Townville against New Farnley, keeping his team in the Bradford title race Picture: Steve Riding.LEADING ROLE: Harry Warwick scored 112 for Townville against New Farnley, keeping his team in the Bradford title race Picture: Steve Riding.
LEADING ROLE: Harry Warwick scored 112 for Townville against New Farnley, keeping his team in the Bradford title race Picture: Steve Riding.
APPLEBY Frodingham have made their centenary season one to remember by winning the Yorkshire Southern Premier League’s Premier Division title.

In their penultimate game, the Lincolnshire club faced their nearest rivals, but the clash at Brumby Hall proved a rather one-sided affair, with visitors Sheffield Collegiate being dismissed for 94.

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Only three Steel City men made it into double figures – Jacob Waterson (12), wicketkeeper Sam Hunt (15) and No 11 Robert Shaw (10no) – as the wickets were shared between Joe Baker (3-17), Paul Hilton 
(3-19) and Kieran Lindley (3-35), who was rather expensive by comparison.

The home side lost two wickets with the score on 23, but Jordan Cook (29no) added a vital 38 with captain Matthew Fowler (27), and Jamar Ifill (20) then dominated to take Appleby Frodingham to the brink of their six-wicket victory with some 20 overs to spare.

TOUGH DAY: New Farnley bowler Mark Lawson in action against Townville on Saturday. Picture: Steve Riding.TOUGH DAY: New Farnley bowler Mark Lawson in action against Townville on Saturday. Picture: Steve Riding.
TOUGH DAY: New Farnley bowler Mark Lawson in action against Townville on Saturday. Picture: Steve Riding.

Collegiate are now in a battle for second place with Treeton, who became the latest victims of a resurgent Hallam.

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Treeton, who chose to bat, were 66-4 but were rescued by a fifth-wicket partnership of 73 between Sam Drury (31) and Archie Ogden (50) as they posted 190.

Charlie Bourne (5-36) took wickets at the beginning and end of the innings, and his efforts were rewarded when Hallam won by five wickets in the 45th over after opener Alex Hughes (37) had put on 103 for the second wicket with Robert Basu (60).

Cawthorne matched Hallam’s result by defeating Doncaster Town by 13 runs, thus avoiding any last-day drama.

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Stephen Peter Wilkinson went on the attack for Horsforth Hall Park against Tong Park Esholt in Division Two of the Aire-Wharfe League, hitting 15 fours and 4 sixes in his 113. Picture: Steve Riding.Stephen Peter Wilkinson went on the attack for Horsforth Hall Park against Tong Park Esholt in Division Two of the Aire-Wharfe League, hitting 15 fours and 4 sixes in his 113. Picture: Steve Riding.
Stephen Peter Wilkinson went on the attack for Horsforth Hall Park against Tong Park Esholt in Division Two of the Aire-Wharfe League, hitting 15 fours and 4 sixes in his 113. Picture: Steve Riding.

What was a three-way battle for the Gordon Rigg Bradford Premier League Premier Division title is now a two-horse race after Townville defeated New Farnley to knock them out of the reckoning.

Harry Warwick scored 112 in their 298-8, hitting three sixes and 14 fours, and received useful support from Jonny Booth (53) and Jack Hughes (46).

Warwick added 109 for the second wicket with Booth and 93 for the third with Hughes, while Andrew Brewster took 4-55.

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Conor Harvey (4-58) and Hughes (5-35) then cut a swathe through New Farnley, who were restricted to 167, giving Townville maximum points.

Woodlands took 19 points off Morley, with Muhammad Bilal continuing his seemingly one-legged assault after suffering a badly swollen ankle in the Heavy Woollen Cup final.

He scored 101 off a mere 37 balls – the quickest of the season so far in the league – crashing four fours and an incredible 13 sixes, to boost Woodlands’s score to 345-4, with captain Cieran Garner (51no) helping in an unbroken stand of 130.

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Tim Jackson weighed in with 61, Tom Clee 36 and Liam Collins 83 before Morley made a creditable 204-8 in reply.

Henry Rush (46) and Kavindu Kulasekara (61) put on 97 for the third wicket, with Kez Ahmed bagging 4-68.

Woodlands, who are at New Farnley (300) next Saturday in their final match, have 336 points, while Townville (328) are at Batley (143), who are still likely to go down with Morley (144) as third-bottom Wrenthorpe are on 160.

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Castleford are honing on in the Yorkshire Premier League North title after winning by six wickets at Stamford Bridge.

James Keast (50 and 4-35) did his best for the home side but was outgunned by Liam Hyde (71) as the visitors timed their run chase nicely with nine balls left.

Saltaire have won the Airedale & Wharfedale League Division One title with two matches left.

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Their six-wicket defeat of visitors Bilton put them 41 points ahead of second-placed Rawdon with only 40 points available.

Mustahsan Ali Shah (4-17) was instrumental in restricting Bilton to 118 as they won the toss and opted to bat at Roberts Park, with Saltaire then taking 28 overs to overhaul that score, with Awaise Hussain being unbeaten on 59 at the close.

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