THE promotion race in the All Rounder Cricket Equipment Central Yorkshire League's Championship Division could hardly be closer as just three points separate the top five clubs.

Former Bradford Bulls legend Glenn Morrison was a hero for Northowram Fields as they leapfrogged visiting Liversedge into third after a winning draw, and they have a chance to build on that with their next game at third-from-bottom Wakefield St Michaels.

Liversedge looked to be in the driving seat when Morrison, batting at No 9, came to the wicket with his side's score on 130-7, chasing 243 for victory.

It very soon became 159-8 but opening bowler Zafar Khan, having earlier taken 3-70 in the Liversedge innings, teamed up with Morrison and hit an unbeaten 50 off 29 balls that included seven fours and two sixes.

Morrison, no slouch himself, hit four fours and three sixes in a match-best 51 not out and helped steer his side home with two wickets and one ball to spare.

Liversedge, though dropping to fifth, have a chance to claw back some initiative this week when they host second-placed Hopton Mills at Roberttown Lane.

In their last game, Hopton faced bottom-club Caribbean, who were forced to play with three men absent.

Not surprisingly, the result was a foregone conclusion as the visitors managed just 67 in 18 overs, Richard Myers taking 5-16, leaving Hopton to knock them off with six wickets to spare in a match which lasted only just over 29 overs.

The Bradford League-bound duo of Birstall and Methley meet at Leeds Road, Birstall tomorrow, with the home side needing to improve on their lack of penetration at Carlton last week if they are to topple the leaders.

Carlton denied Birstall maximum points when the home side hit 239-6 but the visitors duly collected four valuable points when they replied with 243-5, thanks to good knocks from skipper Craig Wood (68), Eric Austin (42) and keeper Nick Kaye (41).

Interestingly, the two points dropped represented a 33 per cent deduction for Birstall but their performance would have yielded 18 out of 20 points if it had been a Bradford League game – only a ten per cent deduction.

There was yet another setback for Buttershaw St Paul's when they went down by six wickets at second-placed Townville.

Ahmed Yar top-scored with 42 out of 163 for Buttershaw but Chris Holliday's unbeaten 71 was enough to see Townville home with only 26 overs bowled.

Struggling Batley eased their nerves a little with a victory over Ossett, albeit by only three runs and the visitors having no 11th man.

Muhammed Shahnawaz was the key man for Batley with a top-scoring 40 out of 102, and though Shoaib Latif hit 44 in the Ossett reply, the remaining batsmen mustered only 41 between them, with four extras completing their total.

This week Batley go to struggling Mirfield Parish Cavaliers, while Ossett are at home to bottom club Altofts.