Yorkshire leagues round-up: Woodlands win showdown to move closer to Bradford League title

Brad Schmulian (54) top-scored in Woodlands’ 179-9 and Chris Brice took 5-30 to restrict Saints to 108.

Second-placed Bradford & Bingley crashed to defeat to New Farnley, who set a 225-9 target with Lee Goddard (50) and Steve Bullen (48) leading the way. David McCallum took 5-59 as Bees struggled to 183-9.

Harry Warwick (55) and Imran Rafique (74) helped Townville to 256-7 before Conor Harvey followed up an unbeaten 35 with an eight-maiden spell of 3-0 and, with Ritchie Bresnan (6-17), skittled Wrenthorpe for 32.

Methley kept alive hopes of escaping relegation when Matthew Waite (5-46) and Amir Hussain (4-53) dismissed Cleckheaton for 164, three short of victory.

Nick Connolly (86no) and Callum Bethel (5-29) starred in Hanging Heaton’s 49-run win at Lightcliffe, and even though Khalid Usman (48no) helped Undercliffe to 119-7, Farlsey cruised home by seven wickets.

Having propped up Yorkshire South for most of the season, Hallam’s fifth win in a row took them out of the bottom two. Andre Bradford hit 44 in their 189-8 then took 4-45 and with Charlie Bourne (3-6), bowled out Elsecar for 109.

Aston Hall remain bottom after James Stuart (72no) clinched an easy win for leaders Doncaster and Cleethorpes drop into the bottom two after Boeta Beukes (50) and Beck Frostick (74no) kept alive Barnsley’s outside hopes of the title.

A century stand between Jamie Carrington (110no) and Henry Elred (38no) saw Sheffield Collegiate to 233-5 but Treeton clinched victory with three wickets to spare. Sam Drury (72) and Chris Cob (52) led the reply.

David Toft (74) led the way as Wakefield Thornes passed Wickersley’s 197 in which Dave Rodgers (51) and Thomas Knight (60) were main scorers, and even though Sam Woodcock (5-18) restricted Tickhill to 123, they still won by 38 runs thanks to Binura Fernando (5-32).

With the top two in Yorkshire North losing, York moved up to second and to within a point of leaders Sheriff Hutton Bridge whom they will face on Saturday.

Umair Khan (72no) took Castleford to 178-6 and, with Matthew Rees picking up four cheap wickets, Bridge could only manage 140.

Long-time leaders Woodhouse Grange crashed to 112 in reply to Yorkshire Academy’s 167 in which Finlay Bean hit a half-century.

York’s top order, including a 95-run stand between James Billington (65) and Chris Booth (45), lifted them to 224-9 and despite Andrew Simpson following up a four-wicket haul with 63, Clifton Alliance fell 18 runs short.

Harry Gamble (41) starred as Beverley Town beat Sessay by three runs in the battle of the bottom two while Matthew Pillans (56) helped Scarborough post 164 before Ben Elvidge (4-46) and Linden Gray (5-30) bowled out Dunnington for 156.

There was a shock for Aire Wharfe leaders Otley when Callum Carson (63) helped relegation-threatened North Leeds to a four-wicket win but it hardly dented their title hopes because second-placed Follifoot’s game with Collingham was off.

Cameron Duncan (49) eased Pool to victory at Horsforth, taking them out of the bottom two, while Ted Haggas picked up 5-19 as Addingham beat bottom club Adel.

In the Huddersfield Premiership, Andrew Smith (99) and Roscoe Tahttil (102) put on 207 in Kirkburton’s 266-4 before Alexander Schofield (5-39) and Aaron Moore (3-7) pushed Shelley a step closer to relegation.

Who will join them is anyone’s guess with eight points covering the next eight teams.

Delph boosted their chances of escaping, Muhammad Shakir (5-31) and Mosun Hussain (72no) starring in their win at Barkisland.

At the other end of the table, four wickets each for Waqas Maqsood and Usman Arshad were decisive as leaders Hoylandswaine beat Scholes to take another step towards the title.

There was a tense finish at Almondbury Wesleyans, whose last wicket fell at 207, giving them a tie with Thongsbridge, for whom Rory France hit 75.