Lees lifts Lightcliffe with record knock as 'Gate hit top spot

His 227 not out, which included 21 fours and ten sixes, topped the 218 mark set by Richard Gould for Gomersal in 2013. Lees shared century stands with Alex Stead (41) and Jonathan Wilson (57) as Lightcliffe set a formidable 355-5 target.

It looked all up for the Bees when they slumped to 6-2 but Dave Clow (37) and Gareth Phillips (75) put on 104 for the third wicket and, hopes rose when Norman Ali and Matthew Duce (45) also added a hundred, but Ali’s run out at 77 marked the end of the resistance and with Max Gardner taking 5-67, the home side clinched a 53-run win.

There was a breathless finish at Batley after John Wood (122) starred in Cleckheaton’s 
234-8. Batley got within touching distance but No 4 batsman Muhammad Khan was run out on 74 off the penultimate available ball to give the visitors a one-run win.

Simon Lambert (147) and Lee Goddard (59) led the way in New Farnley’s 314-4 but Gary Fellows (110), Nick Connolly (43), Callum Geldart (68) and Imran Dawood (27no) saw Hanging Heaton home with three balls to spare.

Liam Booth (65no) and Jack Hughes (66no) steered Townville past Pudsey Congs’ 162 with eight wickets in hand, while Amar Rashid’s 5-58 spell that restricted Farsley to 179 proved in vain when East Bierley were dismissed for 126 with James Logan picking up 5-21.

Tim Jackson hit an unbeaten 112 and with Mark Lawson (37no) took Woodlands past Pudsey St Lawrence’s 227-5 total and inflicted the first defeat of the season on the reigning champions. York also suffered a first defeat, well beaten in Yorkshire Premier North by Yorkshire Academy who set a target of 229-8 on a platform built by Ben Ainsley (46) and Jarred Warner (60) before Matthew Taylor (3-20) and Jordan Thompson (3-4) skittled out the visitors for 100. Ben Kohler-Cadmore’s 144, which included 18 fours, was the highlight of Driffield Town’s 
355-8 and put them on the way to a 151-run win over Acomb. Champions Harrogate are top of the pile again after Jack Potticary (74) and Kellen Bond (40no) clinched a comfortable win at Woodhouse Grange.

Scott Hopkinson (52) top scored as Clifton Alliance passed Easingwold’s 258-8 in which Kyle Waite made 74. Dave Barrick picked up 7-47 as Sheriff Hutton Bridge were bowled out for 226 but Hull were never up with the rate despite an unbeaten half-century from Steve Sergeant.

Opener Will Rhodes led the way with 67 in Stamford Bridge’s 209-9, setting up a 45-run win against Scarborough.

Barnsley were brought back down to earth after last week’s thrilling win over Yorkshire Premier South champions Wakefield Thornes with a defeat at Tickhill. David White hit a century in the home side’s 121 before Atif Sheikh (4-51) and James Stuart (3-48) dismissed the visitors for 178.

There were no more slip ups from Thornes, Akila Isanka (5-45) and Steve Morgan (3-23) bowling out Sheriff & Phoenix for 132 in reply to their own 240-9, which included half-centuries from Matthew Jordan and Joe Cook. Tom Rowley (113) and Danny Walton (53) put on 138 in Sheffield Collegiate’s 254-6 which was too good for Appleby Frodingham. That keeps Collegiate on top of the table with Whitley Hall, who eased past Wickersley by 66 runs. Greig Batty (76no) and Richard Wilkinson put on 81 for Hall’s seventh wicket before Wilkinson (4-51) and Callum Bethel (4-61) dismissed the home side for 173.

Mark Williams (6-40) and Humphrey Emery (3-38) shot out Cleethorpes for 140 to put Hallam on the way to a four-wicket win despite the efforts of Vusi Sibanda who hit a half-century and took three wickets.

Muhammad Waheed (4-32) and Vinne Ogden (3-9) skittled out Aston Hall for 111 to give Treeton an easy eight-wicket win.

Five-wicket hauls from Hoyalndswaine’s Jamie Harrison and Delph’s Shakir Muhammad helped their sides to victories over Cawthorne and Skelmanthorpe and keeps them neck and neck at the top of the Huddersfield Premier Division.

Ross Sedgley hit 20 fours in his 149 as Aire Wharfe champions Beckwithshaw beat Ilkley.