Clayton scramble home but Great Horton and Low Moor slump

They moved to within five points of third-from-bottom Sowerby Bridge by beating Oxenhope by five wickets, while the Bridge lost at Illingworth St Mary’s by 112 runs.

Oxenhope were inserted and Lewis Brown (94) scored nearly half of his team’s 206-9 before being run out as Si Collins took 4-44.

Bradshaw’s response was headed by three batters, Piers Fisher (62 not out), Collins (50no) and Wayne Cotton (42), as they combined to hit a winning 207-5 in the 39th over.

It gives their team more than a good chance to escape the drop, which for most of the season had appeared unlikely.

Triangle stacked up the runs on their travels as they hammered the Shelf Northowram Hedge Top attack for 327-7.

James Callighan (98) and Adam Stocks (65) led the flurry of runs in a second-wicket partnership worth 153, with No.6 Edward Denham (66no) getting in on the act to set a substantial target for the hosts.

Gurdev Singh (4-116) was expensive but at least he had those four wickets to show.

In the Shelf reply, Adam Ryszkowski (41) top scored, but with Jake Dixon taking 6-33, the innings ended well short at 222.

Leaders Thornton retained their 27-point lead as they beat bottom team Luddendenfoot at home by 116 runs.

Batting first, Thornton posted 253-7 with Grant Soames passing 500 league runs for the season, but disappointed at losing his wicket only four runs short of a century.

With the exception of Nate Holdsworth (54), the Foot never looked like giving Thornton a fright, as their innings closed on 137, with five home bowlers taking wickets.

The top-of-the-table clash in the First Division resulted in an impressive win for leaders Upper Hopton, who visited Great Horton Park Chapel.

Horton batted first and, had it not been for Fahad Shabbir, who hit 83 in a total of 126, the match would have finished very early.

Only one other batter reached double figures as Matthew Broadbent (4-50) led the Hopton bowlers.

Lewis Edmond (41) led the reply and the visitors cruised to a winning 128-4 in 28 overs.

As Horton dropped to third place on 162 points, Clayton moved up to second with 169 points, only 11 points adrift of the leaders.

However, what should have been an easy task at Augustinians nearly turned into a nightmare.

The hosts were bowled out for miserly 43 as a career best of 6-15 for Matthew Roe was instrumental in the low total.

In reply though, Clayton staggered to 23-6, only for Roe to continue his heroics on the day, as he made an unbeaten 27 to secure a nervy four-wicket victory.

Blackley had little difficulty in overcoming visiting Low Moor Holy Trinity, winning by 56 runs.

The hosts batted first and posted 182-9 as Jonathan Stenson (41) topped the scoring, Matthew Jordan taking 5-33.

Trinity’s reply struggled for consistency and they were bundled out for 126, with Lewis Holt taking 4-48.

The championship battle for the Second Division title is now a two-team affair between Oakworth and leaders Sowerby St Peter’s respectively, who both won.

St Peter’s travelled to Stainland to play Cullingworth, whose ground was being set up for its Sunday Crickfest.

The Sowerby team enjoyed the shorter trip as they won by six wickets to keep their championship aspirations on course.

The ‘home’ team batted first and scored 146, reliant for nearly half their score on Michael Dennison (70).

Michael Dennison batted well for Cullingworth on Saturday, but unfortunately, none of his team-mates did. (Image: Chris Booth.)

On the bowling front it was a day to remember for Patrick Lennon, who registered a career-best 7-33.

St Peter’s needed just short of 43 overs to get over the line, with Hayden Bruce (54no) and Ryan Brook (48) top-scoring in a winning 148-4.

It was at Oakworth that Old Town’s own title challenge ended, the visitors losing by 68 runs.

Oakworth batted first and scored 226-7 as Joel Gallagher (81) and Noah Thirkill (51) led the scoring chart, Muhammad Nabeel taking 4-44.

Only Sagher Shaheen (65) and Nabeel (31) made any real impression as Town replied with 158 all out, Jake Keslinke impressing with 4-8 from seven overs.

Outlane’s improvement continued as they won with ease at home to Mount by eight wickets, after bowling out their visitors for 74.

There was a close finish at bottom team Bridgeholme, where Queensbury won by one wicket.

The home side batted first and posted 171, chiefly thanks to Muhammad Maqsood (42).

Queensbury were in trouble at 102-8, but Irfan Afzal (47) and Khalid Mahmood (30no) took the score to 171-9 before Darren Jack hit the winning four from the only ball he faced.

Muhammad Ali was no doubt disappointed to be on the losing team, but he showed real fight to claim personal best figures of 6-57.