Saturday, August 17 could well be seen as the day when the Division One title race took a decisive turn.

While leaders Pudsey Congs won with two balls to spare at Farsley, championship-chasing Pudsey St Lawrence were being handed only their fourth defeat of the season by Woodlands.

What was a one-point gap before the start of play is now up to seven points, and there are only five matches left.

Farsley's innings, which had slumped to 89 for five, was revived by an unbeaten stand of 164 between overseas star Asim Munir (140 not out) - easily the highest score of the season in the division - and former England star Graham Roope (50 not out).

But Naveed Rana-ul-Hassan obviously didn't take kindly to his most unpleasant bowling analysis of the season (13-1-79-1) and exacted his revenge when Congs were chasing 254 for victory.

Losing Andy Bethel for a duck hardly troubled them, and Gary Brook (19) and Barbar Butt (52) added 73 for the second wicket.

Rana-ul-Hassan came to the wicket at 126 for four and made 70 not out, but victory was also built on the back of helpful contributions from Gareth Clough, Neil Nicholson, Glenn Roberts and Neil Gill, whose 22 not out completed a fine all-round contribution.

Saints had to rely on their middle order - James Smith (68 not out), Andrew Doidge (38) and Iain Priestley (38) - to help them to 221 for five.

But visitors Woodlands made light of that score,

winning by seven wickets with three overs to spare.

Opener Russell Murray was still there at the end on 81, and had added 94 for the first wicket with Nicholas Rushworth (29) and 60 for the second with Tim Orrell (45). Greig Godfrey (20 not out) helped Woodlands home.

Third-placed Undercliffe were just denied full points by Yeadon in another match where the aggregate topped 500.

Yeadon finished on 233 for nine chasing Undercliffe's 270 for six, which was made in only 49 overs.

John Sadler, Toby Drummond and Andy Walker all hit half-centuries for Undercliffe, Drummond and Walker adding 114 for the fourth wicket.

But Damon Gormley (65) and Grant Soames (55 not out) proved major stumbling blocks as Undercliffe narrowed the margin to six points behind St Lawrence.

East Bierley cruised to a six-wicket victory with a ball under ten overs to spare at Hanging Heaton, Yorkshire's Gavin Hamilton making 73 and Andrew Bairstow 53 not out for the victors.

Jaffer Nazir (4-48) and Paul Hemming (4-73) helped to restrict the Batley club to 180 for nine, Ajit Bhoite (59) and Ishmail Dawood (30) being the main contributors to a disappointing total on a hot day.

Baildon have joined Woodlands on 49 points after Lightcliffe denied them victory in another match where nine wickets went down in the second innings.

Three late victims for Jamie Abbott didn't prove quite enough as Lightcliffe held out on 188, Mubashir Nazir (65) and Neil Whittaker (42) being the only batsmen of note.

Baildon's 228 was based around excellent teamwork, James Goldthorp making 65, Paul Spragg 27, Matthew Duce 44 and Philip Slater 39.

The combination of Chris Bryce (5-27) and overseas player Faisal Irfan (4-34) was too much for Spen Victoria, who were dismissed for 126.

Cleckheaton's first-wicket pair alone - Mark Gill (42) and Richard Pyrah (36) added half of that score, and the visitors won by seven wickets.