Slater leads way as the Saints collapse

BRADFORD

Bradford & Bingley captain Phil Slater hit an unbeaten 103 as he led his side to the top of Division One on an eventful day which saw Farsley and Pudsey St Lawrence lose their unbeaten records as rain causing delayed starts and reduced overs games everywhere.

Slater shared an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 131 with Chris Thompson (63no) as Bradford & Bingley made 304-4 as they beat Gomersal by 38 runs. Shabbir Rashid (84) and Ben Platt (53) led a spirited Gomersal reply of 266.

Bradford & Bingley have 63 points and are two ahead of Hanging Heaton, who pulled off a 37-run win over Pudsey St Lawrence. The Saints lost their last nine wickets for 35 runs as they capitulated from 112-1 to 147 all out in reply to Hanging Heaton’s 184. Spinners Umar Rehman (6-18) and Mark Lawson (3-39) did the damage. St Lawrence had been given a good start by openers left-hander opener Mark Robertshaw (40) and Adam Waite (38).

Woodlands captain Pieter Swanepoel became the first bowler to dismiss Farsley’s Jamaican batsman Lorenzo Ingram this season during a match-winning spell of 5-24. Ingram, who had made 368 runs in his previous three innings, was out for one as Farsley were bowled out for 101 to lose by 37 runs. Former York batsman Simon Mason had made 37 as Woodlands struggled to 138 against the left-arm spin of Ingram (4-21)

Cleckheaton defeated Undercliffe by seven wickets with Tim Jackson (73no) sharing an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 103 with Ian Nicholson (43no) which guided them past 191-5. Ashley Metcalfe made 52 for Undercliffe.

Pudsey Congs returned to winning ways, beating Manningham Mills by 26 runs. Paceman Muhammad Naved (4-52) and left-arm spinner Glenn Roberts (4-38) did the damage as Mills slipped from 128-2 to 190 all out.

Gulsheraz Ahmed (68), and Imran Khalid (64) shared a third-wicket stand of 116 for Mills while former Otley opener Josh Atkinson (62) and Andrew Bairstow (59) were top scorers in Congs’ 216-6.

East Bierley also ended a two-match losing sequence as they defeated Baildon by six wickets.

SOUTH YORKSHIRE

Premier Division champions Whitley Hall got into their stride at Houghton Main.

They reached 242-7 with former Sheffield United star Neil Longhurst cracking 60, South African Jaco Castle adding 44 and former Hallam all-rounder Jim Tasker (43). Castle then completed a fine afternoon’s work by claiming 6-29 as the hosts fell for 125.

Barnsley, with two convincing victories behind them, were stopped in their tracks at Treeton, where the hosts set a target of 235, Steve Foster making 78 and Scott Cunningham a half-century.

The visitors were skittled for 50 with Foster snapping up 5-6 and Umair Asif chipping in with 3-14.

Former champions Elsecar romped to a six-wicket triumph over guests Bradfield, who were sent back for 131 at Armroyd Lane, Chathura Athukorala doing the damage with his spell of 6-32.

Elsecar eased to victory with Athukorala rounding off his day with an unbeaten half-century and Jason Meadows making 40 not out.

Wickersley came out best in a reduced-overs match against Whiston, who have yet to benefit from their recruiting campaign, Haidar Jahangir striking 80 and Gareth Davies 65 of their 261-6.

Whiston never threatened and closed on 131-8, Pete Wilson (46) not out as Jahangir claimed 4-23 and Shahid Hussain (3-62).

Wath toppled Hallam for 121, Danny Hyner bagging 4-14, but made hard work of it, crawling to 122-8, after being 52-6 at one stage. Andy Wood hit an unbeaten 52 as Dan Holmes captured 5-58.

Aston Hall had five wickets in hand after passing Rockingham’s 96 – Scott Hibbett taking 7-30 and Asadullah Butt making 52.

Top batsman of the day was Dearne’s Kyle Humphrys, who hammered an unbeaten 168, with 21 fours and five sixes in his club’s nine-wicket win over Whiston B in Division Three.

The best bowling figures came from Maltby B’s Paul Rowbottom, with 7-26 in the Division Four win at Oughtibridge.

The season’s lowest team score went to Dearne B, who collapsed to just 16 all out against Division Four guests Tickhill B.

SOLLY CENTRAL YORKS

TOWNVILLE slumped to their first defeat this season when they lost to Premier Division champions Wrenthorpe in a top of the table game.

In a 39-over game, Luke Patel (5-39) limited Townville to 164-9 which included a half-century by captain Tim Walton, who has scored 677 runs in the Castleford team’s seven matches.

Wrenthorpe coasted to a nine-wicket win in 29.2 overs, with captain Gary Fellows putting on 70 for the first wicket with Oliver Whittaker (37) and sharing an unbroken 95- run stand with David Paynter (51no).

Methley are level on points at the top with Wrenthorpe after maintaining their unbeaten league record with a 30-run victory at New Farnley in a 37-over contest.

John Rickers (6-20) sent New Farnley reeling from 61-0 to 117 all out after Daniel Busfield (5-53) had restricted Methley to 147-9.

Chris Budd hammered 22 fours in his 127 off 121 balls and shared an opening 155-run stand with Alan Burton (59) as Altofts reached 283-7 in 43 overs against Mirfield Parish Cavaliers. Myles Robinson bagged 4-59 as Cavaliers were toppled for 179 in reply.

Ossett are without a win after losing by two wickets to fellow strugglers Birstall, who achieved their first league victory.

Opener Nathan Glynn hit an unbeaten 98 as Wakefield Thornes continued their revival with an eight-wicket success at Wakefield St Michael’s.

Hunslet Nelson kept up their promising start by beating Northowram by seven wickets.

Carlton are the new Division One leaders after beating former pacesetters Buttershaw St Paul’s.

Phil Page struck 104 off 104 deliveries and Jonathan Rudge hit 60 to steer Carlton to 225-8.

Liam Whittlestone (3-3), Chris Kippax (3-43) and Rudge (3-69) bowled out Buttershaw for 166 in reply, despite Paul Carroll’s 41.

David Winter (31), Stephen Lane (3-39) and Simon Kay (2-24) gave Liversedge the edge against East Ardsley. Batley’s Arman Hussain snapped up 6-41 to send East Leeds collapsing from 46-1 to 115 all out. Kashif Talib finished unbeaten on 50 as Batley recovered from 25-3 to knock off the runs.