The Central Yorkshire League caught up on their opening-day postponements when the originally-scheduled Jack Hampshire Cup first round was put back to this coming Sunday and Birstall took full advantage to maintain their improved start to the Premier Division season.

Northowram Fields were no real match for the new-look Birstall boys as an 84-run win lifted Stuart Clifton’s side up to fourth place.

Birstall posted 220, with Craig Wood top-scoring on 72 before being run out. But it was opener Rob Macfarlane who had set the scene with 31 out of a 38-run opening stand alongside Clifton in the first five overs, hitting five fours and a six.

Macfarlane was also on form with the ball but it was opener Saif ur-Rehman (5-24) who did the early damage to Northowram’s reply and they never recovered.

It has been an encouraging opening for Birstall, after their season-long struggle last summer, but there is a tough weekend ahead with a trip to Wrenthorpe on Saturday followed by a cup tie at home to Carlton the next day.

Batley floundered against reigning champions Wrenthorpe, who are top with maximum points despite the loss of key players over the winter.

Rudramurthy (5-68) kept Wrenthorpe in check for a while but Greig Batty hammered 62 off 52 balls and then took 5-37 to help bowl out the visitors for 131.

This leaves Wrenthorpe five points clear of Townville, who overcame Mirfield Parish Cavaliers by nine wickets.

South African all-rounder Kyllin Vardhan, from England star Kevin Pieterson’s old school, took 4-42 to bowl out Parish for 148 and then hit an unbeaten 93 in the Townville reply to maintain his bright start to the season.

Former Northamptonshire and Spen Victoria opener Tim Walton went second ball of the innings.

Liversedge (175) lost their unbeaten record in Division One as Mark Atkinson (100no) helped Wakefield St Michael’s to a seven-wicket win.

Buttershaw St Paul’s (214-8) crushed promoted Mirfield (130-9) by 84 runs after an unsteady start, thanks in part to an unbeaten 40 by Nicos Haralabidis and 5-33 from Chris Kellett.

Buttershaw now take on East Ardsley in the league and are at home to East Leeds in the cup. Liversedge are at home to Wakefield Thornes A and then have a cup tie at Mirfield Parish, while Division Three outfit Westwood Park have a chance of cup glory against Division One hosts Hopton Mills.