BATTING was difficult in the ENCO Halifax League, but Premier Division leaders Thornton bettered the day’s average score of 147 by making 198-7 against Copley at The Arches.

However, they were 111-5 by the 35th over before Nikki Hutchinson (48 not out) led a middle-order charge as Gavin Whippy took 4-59.

Copley’s innings never fired up in reply, with only Oliver Thorpe (36) showing any resistance.

The shutter of wickets from 58-3 to 66-8 settled the issue with Ross Parr recording figures of 5-16 from 14 overs as Copley could only score 83 in reply.

Oxenhope, on their first visit to Hullen Edge, asked Warley & Elland to bat - a decision that brought dividends as the hosts struggled to 122-9 in their 45 overs.

The struggle was replicated, however, when the visitors batted and they slipped to 111 all out, their title challenge surely all but over.

Charlie Holt-Conway, with 37, was Shelf Northowram Hedge Top’s leading scorer in a scratchy effort of 141 on their visit to SBCI as Lewis Firth took 5-44.

Alexander Scholefield (46no), Chris Dalby (36) and Thomas Wood (33) then ensured maximum points for SBCI as they won with 142-5 in the 38th over.

First Division Clayton’s David Paynter scored a second successive century - indeed a second score of 121.

The previous Saturday he was not out but, despite being caught out this time, in the home match versus Mytholmroyd, it was another match-winning effort.

Michael Nicholson added a run-a-ball 70 as Clayton, after being inserted, closed on an impress 285.

The Royd’s top four all scored between 21 and 27, but, after they were dismissed, the innings fell away to 151 all out, Sam Wilson taking 6-29.

At Low Moor Holy Trinity, in the battle to perhaps avoid slipping into the one relegation spot, Greetland chose to take first knock and posted 143, being dismissed in the 43rd over.

As elsewhere, runs were hard to come by, with Joe Hustler, the fifth bowler to turn his arm over, the chief wicket taker with 5-30.

The match was on a knife-edge when Trinity replied, especially when the score stood at 86-6.

Top-scorer Hustler (40) had been dismissed, but the lower middle-order came to the rescue to push the score along to a winning 144-8, although Shakeel Mahmood was unlucky to finish on the losing team, having taken 5-36.

At Blackley, the hosts inserted second-placed Great Horton Park Chapel, who scored 205-8, with Daniel Gill (67) and skipper Adam Beesley (60) heading the scoring.

In Blackley’s reply, only three batters reached double figures.

Jonathan Stenson (49) top-scored, but by that time the damage had been done as five wickets fell between 39-2 and 50-7, and they closed on 131, with Beesley (4-21) again to the fore.

Yet again, batting at leaders Upper Hopton proved a laborious task as visiting Augustinians found out.

Sent in, they could only accumulate 74 as Matthew Broadbent (6-46) and Jack Stephenson (4-23) shared the wickets.

However, in reply, with the Hopton score showing 37-6, the visitors sensed a shock win.

It was not to be, however, as Stephenson (20no) and Thomas Wilson (17no) battled for 15 overs to ensure a four-wicket victory for the table-toppers.

In the Second Division, leaders Sowerby St Peter’s look to have come up against the proverbial brick wall.

They lost for the second time in eight days, on this occasion against visiting Queensbury by three runs.

St Peter’s opted to field first which, as it turned out, pleased both Phil Sharples (59) and Oliver Challis (56) as their third-wicket partnership produced 103 to put their team on the front foot on the way to a final total of 229-6.

The finish to the game was the closest of the day as Hayden Bruce (79) helped to take the score to 226-6 before he was run out by Michael Davies off the final ball, the third such dismissal in a row as panic set in.

At Stones, the home team sent second-placed Mount in and the visitors posted 182, with Nazir Patel (45) top scoring.

The match was interrupted by rain, and Stones, courtesy of Gary Hulme (52no) and William Thickett (46no), hit the revised target with 126-2 in the 28th over, Mount being unable to capitalise on the loss of the divisional leaders.

Bradley & Colnebridge opted to bat at Cullingworth, but within minutes it proved to be a very dubious decision.

Three early wickets fell for 15 and they were soon in total disarray at 21-7.

The tail had a little wag but, with James Bloodworth recording 5-18 from his 12 overs, the innings closed on 57.

The hosts required less than 18 overs to score a winning 58-1.

Outlane were grateful that Andy Stokes (40) and Calum Westwood (37) compiled runs on their visit to Oakworth as, without their contributions, their 126 total would have been much lower,

Rain played a part in the hosts’ reply as they were set a revised target of 96 from 29 overs.

They had no difficulty in achieving this as Jake Keslinke led the way with 46 not out in a score of 98-3.