Boundary blitz from teenage centurion

NEW Farnley kept alive their hopes of lifting the Premier Division title for the first time by beating Wakefield Thornes by two wickets for the second time in six days.

Nick Cullen and Steve Blackburn hit half-centuries and Ian Fisher claimed 5-39 as Farnley repeated their Jack Hampshire Trophy quarter-final victory.

Second-placed Farnley are 13 points behind unbeaten leaders Wrenthorpe, who scraped a 10-run win against lowly Birstall.

Chasing 152, Birstall looked handily placed when Connor Williams (45) led them to 54-1 but Neil Gill (4-38), Joe Ellis

(3-39) and David Paynter (3-28) sent them collapsing to 142 all out.

All-rounder Nick Connolly struck an unbeaten 66 and snapped up 5-41 as champions Methley halted their slide with their first win in four league matches by beating Batley by eight wickets.

Connolly shared an unbroken second-wicket stand with Kristian Ward (56no) as Methley overhauled Batley's 154 that included 60 by Ayaz Seedat.

Northowram Fields' bid faded with a second successive league defeat when they lost at Wakefield St Michael's.

Jake Thorne (3-22), Michael Carroll (3-34) and Michael Halloran (3-58) toppled Northowram for 153 after Thorne (58), Halloran (49), John Holland (43) and Simon Stirling (41) had guided St Michael's to 248-8.

A 161-run stand between Chris Hosley (85) and Michael Edwards (80) was in vain for lowly Ossett who made 279-6, replying to Townville's 284-6.

Townville's 15-year-old Jonathan Booth struck 20 fours in a century off 107 deliveries and put on 163 for the first- wicket with former Essex and Northants player Tim Walton (78).

Altofts eased their relegation worries when Lee Padgett (55no) led them to a five-wicket win against fellow strugglers Liversedge.

All-rounder Sohail Raz (5-37 and 39) was Hunslet Nelson's match-winner as they increased their lead in Division One to 16 points by beating Moorlands by 35 runs.

Mirfield Parish Cavaliers climbed to second by winning a high-scoring game against Woodkirk.