DEFENDING champions Thornton have extended their lead in the ENCO Halifax League Premier Division to 14 points after a slip-up by second-placed Oxenhope.

Grant Soames (5-22) and Bradley Weatherhead (4-29) enjoyed help from a difficult Hullen Edge track as Warley & Elland could only post 145.

In response, Thornton’s winning total of 149-4 was shared by six batters, all of whom reached double figures.

Joel Fothergill (47) was Oxenhope’s major contributor as the home team posted 180 all out against Triangle, who only used four bowlers, all of them taking wickets.

The visitors then coasted to victory by five wickets, led by opener Adam Stocks (91 not out) as they reached 183-5 in the 34th over.

There was a low-scoring affair at Shelf Northowram Hedge Top, where Illingworth St Mary’s were asked to bat but could only muster 123, using only 31.5 of their 45 overs.

Only opener Matthew Watson (43) really came to terms with the conditions. However, his effort was not in vain as Hedge Top fared even worse.

Only two of their batters reached double figures and, had it not been for skipper Harry Talbot (35no) showing resistance, their score would have been much less than 102.

The First Division brought the first result of the day, as bottom-of-the-table Greetland were no match for visiting Clayton, and in particular Will Garside (5-15) and Matthew Roe (4-27), as they succumbed for 64 in the 28th over.

The Bradford team were home and dry in their 17th over, scoring 65-0, with David Paynter 40 not out.

Low Moor Holy Trinity were sent in by hosts Great Horton Park Chapel and scored 158, with Zafar Anwar recording 5-31.

Horton, however, managed the conditions much better and, after a firm foundation had been laid by the top five, Fahad Shabbir breezed in to hit 57 not out in 30 balls to keep his team in second place, still 11 points adrift of leaders Upper Hopton.

That Upper Hopton lead was preserved thanks to a one-man batting effort as they won by two wickets at Mytholmroyd.

The biggest shock of the day in the Second Division came at Mount, where the hosts, who are second in the table, were beaten by second-from-bottom Leymoor.

The highest score of the day came at Bradley & Colnebridge, where Oakworth rattled up a massive 331-5.

Leading the charge was Bradley Powell with 150, just six runs short of his career best.

Those 150 runs were not enough for Powell, however, as he then claimed 4-47 when B&C replied.

However, the Deighton outfit took some credit from the encounter as they thwarted their visitors from taking maximum points, surviving their 45 overs with 169-9.

Cullingworth posted 254 at home to Southowram, largely thanks to a fine innings of 93 from Scott Pearson (93)

In reply, the Rams fell 59 short of the win, being all out for 196, as Phil Poole Jnr (5-44) and Elliot Robinson (4-44) ensured a Cullingworth win.

Old Town are now well ensconced in the promotion pack following an excellent three-wicket win at Queensbury.

The home team’s star performance came from Steven Priestley, who scored 118 not out, a career best, in his side’s total of 214-8.

But that total was not enough, as Town reached a winning 220-7 with just four balls to spare.