Jer Lane keep ahead of chasing pack in Bradford Premier League

The Rams batted first and made 231-6 in the Bradford Premier League Premier Division encounter, with the in-form duo of Ben Wright and Stanley Brown scoring 69 and 71 respectively.

Townville looked down and out at 201-9. However, last-wicket pair Tom Chippendale - newly signed from Hoylandswaine - and keeper Liam Booth put on 32 unbroken to give the visitors a one-wicket victory that maintains their title interest.

Chris Holliday had earlier scored 49 for Townville, but they collapsed to 117-6, Mathew Lumb, who captained Farsley last season, starting the comeback by scoring 36 in a partnership of 59 with Chris Grey.

But the Rams could not push home their advantage, and Townville’s win meant that the top five, who all won, are covered by just 26 points.

Jer Lane, who lead the way on 217 points, were indebted to Mosun Hussain (90) and overseas player Bhusan Talewadekar (58), who added 130 for the third wicket in their 234-8 against Pudsey St Lawrence.

Adal Islam (4-31) then helped to restrict Saints to 209, giving Jer a six-point lead over defending champions Woodlands, for whom Tom Clee (53 and 7-44) starred in the 132-run win at Undercliffe.

Third on 201 points are New Farnley, who coped very well without overseas player Cam Fletcher, who has returned to New Zealand after suffering a groin injury, having played only five matches in the Bradford League.

Skipper Alex Lilley (112) and Steve Bullen (95) put on 165 for the second wicket as they racked up 340-6 against Pudsey Congs, Gurman Randhawa (4-42) then helping to dismiss winless Congs for 125 in what was their 13th league defeat of the season.

Townville are on 195 points, and four points behind them are Methley for whom Ben Waite took 5-56 in an 11-run victory over Bradford & Bingley.

Farsley’s defeat means that they remain in the bottom two, seven points adrift of Bingley, while Yousef Babar continues to haul Cleckheaton towards safety, scoring 129 and taking 3-44 in the 33-run win at Ossett.

Clifton Alliance continue to lead Yorkshire Premier League North, opener Bryn Llewellyn (85) featuring in stands of 74 with George Breheney (27) and 114 with Edward Wade (98) as they made 283-7 after choosing to bat at York.

The hosts replied with 227-8, Duncan Snell, back facing the new ball, scoring exactly 100 in what was a fourth defeat in five completed matches for the Clifton Park side.

David Wainwright, surely the most dependable cricketer in the Yorkshire leagues, took 3-42 as Castleford remain eight points behind Clifton after winning by three wickets at Driffield Town.

Ishan Abeysekara bagged 8-41 as Harrogate triumphed by eight wickets at home to Stamford Bridge, whose position in the bottom two worsened as Hull Zingari defeated cellar dwellers Easingwold by 25 runs after Mandeep Singh (107) and Daniel Mould (72) had added 187 for Zingari’s third wicket.

Sheriff Hutton Bridge triumphed by one run at Scarborough, while an unbroken stand of 91 between keeper Joe Hall (96no) and Jonny Shepherdson (38no) carried Woodhouse Grange to a five-wicket victory at Sessay.

The top four in the Yorkshire Southern Premier League all triumphed, and no-one had a shorter day’s work than leaders Tickhill, whose match at Shiregreen only lasted 33 overs.

The hosts chose to bat, but were skittled for 48 by Imran Khan (5-19) and Connor Fisher (5-16), Tickhill then knocking off the runs without loss in just 6.3 overs.

Second-placed Cleethorpes dismissed visitors Barnsley for 109, Mayank Mishra (6-36) and Harry Clewett (4-34) engineering a collapse from 79-2 as the hosts won by four wickets, despite Oliver Jackson taking 5-55.

Chris Cobb (55) and captain Sam Drury (77) put on 118 for the fourth wicket for Treeton in their 217-8, but it was to no avail as Wakefield Thornes won by six wickets in a solid reply.

Doncaster Town added to the expected results with a 51-run victory over Sheffield Collegiate, captain James Dobson (87) featuring in a partnership of 97 with Harpreet Bhatia, whose 131 came off 124 balls and included 17 fours and two sixes.

Danish Aziz (73 and 5-26) continued his purple patch as Cawthorne won by 72 runs at basement boys Elsecar.

In the Huddersfield League Premiership, Kirkburton went to the top of the table by defeating Scholes by one wicket, Ben Tighe being denied a hat-trick as he conceded four leg byes which took Kirkburton to victory.

With Hoylandswaine losing by 72 runs at Golcar, Yashoda Mendis taking 6-71 and James Howson scoring 82, Kirkburton, Scholes and Hoylandswaine were level at the top on 44 points ahead of yesterday’s league programme.

Steve Brown (4-18), Alex Atkinson (64no) and George Myers (40no) were prominent for Airedale & Wharfedale League Premier Division leaders Otley, who won by nine wickets at Pool, while Toby Jacklin took 4-1 to complement Adam Wetherall’s 5-30 as second-placed Collingham & Linton defeated bottom-of-the-table Bilton by 157 runs.