Spen Victoria's prolific opening batsman Grant Lambert set a new Bradford League record for the most centuries in a season during his side's draw with Manningham Mills yesterday.

The powerful Australian made 170 not out - his sixth hundred in Division Two this season - to beat the five achieved by Queensbury's Azad Rauf in 1982 and Amol Muzumdar for Windhill in 1996.

His tally of 1,381 league runs is now the second highest in the 97-year history of the competition and just 47 behind the all-time best of 1,428 set by Drighlington's Iqbal Khan in 1998.

During his innings, which contained four sixes and 17 fours, Lambert passed 2,000 runs in all competitions for Spen this summer. His score was also the highest by any batsman in the Bradford League this season, beating the 165 not out which Undercliffe's Mark Gilliver made against Lightcliffe.

But it wasn't enough to secure victory. Faced by Spen's score of 271 for two which included 57 from skipper Andy Walker, Mills played out for a draw at 158 for six with Adam Parkinson making a half century.

Mills' batting contrasted with the positive approach which had seen them chase 228 to beat Bankfoot 24 hours earlier with Safraz Butt making another half-century.

Spen had suffered a similar frustration on Saturday when despite a fine 113 from Steve Bethel and another half-century from Walker, Hartshead Moor showed little interest in chasing a total of 254 for seven and finished on 122 for six.

As a result of their two winning draws, Spen have closed Undercliffe's lead at the top from 11 to eight points.

After gaining a winning draw at Lightcliffe on Saturday with skipper Gilliver making 66 and passing the 1,000 run barrier for the first time in his career, the leaders were forced to cling on for a losing draw at Bowling Old Lane yesterday.

Undercliffe piled up Satur-day's highest score of 261 for five as Jeremy Batty (57) and Howard Reeve (50no) kept the momentum of the innings going at Lightcliffe but the home side held out for a draw by making 163 for six with Nick Pyrah making 64.

Yesterday they ran into an inspired innings from Bowling Old Lane's overseas player Mohammed Shafiq. He struck three sixes and 16 fours as he powered to 114 in his side's 256 for seven. Shafiq was joined in a fourth wicket stand of 145 by Imran Younis (61).

Undercliffe struggled to 193 for seven in reply despite an unbeaten 91 from Reeve - his second half-century of the weekend.

The battle for the third promotion place is really hotting up with Esholt recording two Andy Luxton inspired wins to close within two points of Gomersal who managed just one point from two games.

Luxton equalled Division Two's best bowling performance of the season when he took eight for 45 on Saturday as Esholt inflicted a first defeat of the season on newcomers Gomersal.

Luxton's leg spin posed all sorts of problems as Gomersal fell away after an opening stand of 135 between Simon Horkin (68) and Steve Harrison (62) to be dismissed for 205. Esholt squeezed home by three wickets with Jason Wilkinson hitting a crucial 48 not out.

Luxton followed up that display by starring with the bat in yesterday's four-wicket victory at Saltaire. He made an unbeaten 75 to steer his side home after Ben Lister (5-72) had restricted Saltaire to 160 for nine.

Gomersal's promotion hopes suffered another setback against Great Horton yesterday when they ran into an inspired all-round performance from Dave Maloney. He scored 49 as Great Horton built a score of 192 for eight despite the good work of leg spinner Alan Abbey (5-54), and followed up with seven for 79 as Gomersal finished on 153 for nine despite an unbeaten 80 from Dave Bradbrook.

Idle picked up the full 12 points haul from their weekend's work after Ian Dewhirst (7-58) inspired them to a six wicket win over Great Horton on Saturday and Craig Hunt made 52 to set them on course for a 62-run success against Bankfoot 24 hours later.

The first tie of the Bradford League season came at Roberts Park on Saturday when Saltaire and their arch-rivals Salts were both dismissed for 98. Bob Hodson (5-58) and Mohammed Waseem (5-38) were again among the wickets for Saltaire.