Woodlands and Bankfoot continue to be locked in a tense battle for promotion from the Bowes Section.

On a dramatic day when two players took hat-tricks, Woodlands enjoyed an easy eight-wicket home win over Bowling Old Lane in the latest round of inter-sectional matches.

Overseas pace bowler Safraz Ahmed - who is playing a huge part in their promotion effort - took six for 23 as Old Lane were dismissed for a mere 76.

The home side lost two wickets in passing this modest total to record their 11th win of the season.

Bankfoot won their 13th match of the campaign by beating Mirfield by six wickets with 4.1 overs to spare.

Mirfield made 171 for eight but Bankfoot cruised to victory thanks to an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 74 between Adam Patel (51) and skipper Garry Wainwright (40). They remain just two points behind Woodlands.

It was Mirfield's third defeat in a row, but they have not lost any ground in the Verity Section because leaders Lightcliffe went down by 19 runs in a low scoring match at Saltaire.

The home side cannot have been optimistic after being bowled out for 125 as overseas paceman Mubashir Nazir took five for 45.

But Saltaire's strength is in their bowling and they dismissed Lightcliffe for just 106 to win by 19 runs with captain Bob Hodson taking five for 47 and Sharaz Yaqub (3-12).

The two hat-trick takers were Manningham Mills overseas all-rounder Sarfraz Butt and Great Horton's Talas Sajawal.

Butt took five for 23 to help Mills to beat the Bowes Section's bottom club Drighlington by 27 runs.

Captain Philip Slater continued his recent good form by top scoring with 57 as Mills made 162.

Drighlington began well and at 90 for one they looked to have a chance of a rare victory.

Their hopes were only shattered when they lost four wickets for nine runs before Butt mopped up the innings with his hat-trick.

Sajawal's hat-trick came in Great Horton's six wicket home win over struggling Verity Section club Wind-hill.

Windhill looked set for a big total at 163 for two as Ajmal Shahzad made a fine 81. But they collapsed to 221 all out as Sajawal took his hat-trick.

Consistent batting enabled Horton to win with 9.5 overs to spare. Top scorer Mohammad Siddique (54) and Tony Hamer (36) led them to their comfortable victory with an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 87.

Salts' improved form continued with a six-wicket win at Morley. Opener Baz King top scored with 68 as Salts successfully chased Morley's all out total of 137.

Keighley had the Towler brothers, Ross and Dale to thank for their dramatic two-wicket home win over Hartshead Moor.

Ross took nine for 44 as Hartshead were bowled out for 119, but Keighley were struggling at 93 for eight with 27 still needed until Ross (24no) and Dale (11no) guided them home.