AIRE-WHARFE League batsmen failed to get enough runs to fight off the Bradford League in the first round of the Yorkshire Leagues knockout competition.

Wickets fell at regular intervals at the Aire-Wharfe side struggled on a wet wicket. The game had been rescued by members of the Drighlington club who worked throughout the morning to mop up after Saturday night's storms.

Steeton's Neil spragg helped give the score a degree of respectablity as he partnered Ben McCormick, scoring a dogged 14 to help push the total on to 114.

His innings came after his side had lost three wickets for just nine runs, but after Spragg was dismissed they lost their last three wickets for three runs.

The Bradford League batsmen looked to be cruising to victory with the total on 49 before the first wicket fell. The local attack of Stuart Hudson and Guy Saxton helped frustrate the opening pair before left handers Steve lawrence and Robert Atkinson used their guile to take three wickets in quick succession, leaving them on 53-3. But the Bradford Legue batsmen slammed the door on any hope of a fightback with Carl Sharp and mark Gill forging an unbroken fourth wicket stand of 62 to see them to victory.

Aire-Wharfe League 114

Bradford League 115-3

Aire-Wharfe League: M Corish run out 20, D Wonford c M Gill b Carruthers 6, B Percy c Caruthers b N Gill 20, S Lawrence c Doidge b Paynter 1, B McCormick b Burton 22, D Standring b Burton 8, N Spragg b Smith 14, S Thompson c M Gill b Smith 8, R Atkinson run out 4, S Hudson not out 0, G Saxton b Carruthers 0, extras 11. Total 114.

Bowling: J Carruthers 6.5-4-10-2, C Smith 10-1-31-2, N Gill 5-1-21-1, D Paynter 9-3-13-1, R Robinson 3-2-2-0.

Bradford League: P Winrow c Atkinson b Lawrence 34, A Bethel b Atkinson 15, C Sharp not out 48, R Robinson c Hudson b Atkinson 0, M Gill not out 13, extras 5. Total 115-3.

Bowling: S Hudson 5-2-16-0, G Saxton 3-0-21-0, N Spragg 2-1-8-0, R Atkinson 9-3-17-2, S Lawrence 6-2-23-1, B McCormick 2.3-0-25-0.

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