DESPITE some teams withdrawing and the need for sanitation breaks, the Dales Council League returned with some exciting cricket over the weekend.

In Division A, which consists of 10 teams, Drighlington were bowled out for 151 (Matty Waller 47, Saj Mahmood 4-41) at Karmand by Halifax Direct, who replied with 152-6 (Asad Rashid 42) for maximum points.

At the Scott Hall Oval, Caribbean also gained full points when, after putting in promoted One Stop and bowling them out for 89, they replied with 90-2 (Mubtada Akhtar 51 not out) in under 16 overs.

While at Meanwood Road, champions Woodhouse lie third. They scored 154 (Zia Butt 51), despite Bradford Moor's Iftikhar Hussain taking an incredible 8-28, and the chasing team could only finish on 121 (Kamran Sabar 46).

The highest team score of the day came at Daleside Road, where Fez Hussain (95 no) and Kamran Ali (50) helped Thornbury to a score of 227-8, before holding Pudsey St Lawrence to 174-7 (Duncan Butler 62, Asim Yasin 4-32).

In a game reduced to 33 overs at Smithy Lane, Savile Stars elected to bat and were held to 100-8 by Cookridge, who replied with 101-5 (Zahear Ahmed 51) for the win.

In Division B, which also consists of 10 teams this year, the two promoted clubs met at Salts Sports.

After electing to bat, Interlink made the division’s top score of 184-8 (Yunus Bismillah 53 no, Satyaraj Thakor 5-41), before castling Shipley Providence for only 43 (Mohammad Pandor 5-20) in just 14 overs.

At Sunnybank, Muff Field also claimed maximum points.

They bowled out Tong Park Esholt for 114 (James Scott 45, Hasan Malik 5-21), before their openers, Karl Burkinshaw (58) and Paul Leach (56), made a total of 118-0 in just 17.4 overs.

Thornbury were asked to bat at Britannia and scored 146 (Muhammad Omar 56) before bowling out Congs for 91 (Lewis Stone 44).

Under-17 bowler Haseeb Khan recorded the division’s best bowling figures of 5-6 in five overs.

In a 37-over game at Church Lane, Adel elected to bat and made 128-5 (Fahd Omar 64) and then bowled out Cookridge B for 108 (Matthew Walker 4-25).

The fixture at Mayfield Terrace was reduced to 35-overs-a-side and after being asked to bat, Mayfield made 136-5 (Antony Moss 57) and then bowled out Baildon for 85 (Mohammed Faisal 4-23).

In the eight-team Division C, the joint top team score came at Canal Bank.

After being asked to bat, Rodley made 197-5 (Dave Sewards 52, Tom Wharton 44 no, Sam Middleton 43) and then bowled out Morley for 150 (Richard Winn 63), with Middleton adding 4-35 to his earlier runs.

At Richmond House School, St Chads also scored 197 (Will Brooke 76 no), losing only four wickets after being asked to bat, and then bowled out Mayfield B for 91 thanks to stunning bowling figures of 7-45 from Raja Nawaz Seesha.

At Station Road, St Chads B scored 130-9 (Tasif Iqbal 4-19). But Drighlington B replied with 132-3 in only 13.2 overs thanks to a 24-ball 51 from Bhaven Mistry, which included seven fours and three sixes.

Finally, at Jenny Lane, Baildon B elected to field and reduced Cookridge C to only 71-9 (Joshua Capper 3-14) in 40 overs. The home side replied with 73-2 for an easy victory.