Skipper Simon Kellett praised teenage batsmen Ben Heritage and Andrew Duckworth as Undercliffe stayed in touch with the leading Second Division clubs with a comfortable seven-wicket win at Windhill.

Opener Heritage, 19, batted through the innings, scoring 68, including ten fours, while 18-year-old Andrew Duckworth made 28 to help Undercliffe pass Windhill's total of 192.

Heritage showed commendable dedication and patience as he guided Undercliffe to victory and Kellett said: "Ben has got a super head on his shoulders and never gets frustrated and looks a good player.

"Andrew has impressed me all season. He has played some super innings. He looks to have all the shots."

Although two of the teams above them, Esholt and Morley, both lost, Undercliffe remain 18 points behind the second promotion place - presently occupied by Morley - as Kellett pursues his aim of helping them to regain their First Division status.

The former Yorkshire batsman, who returned to his old club a month before the season started after ten years playing in the York Senior League with Dunnington, remembers Under-cliffe as one of the leading clubs in the Bradford League and said: "It would be nice to get back in the First Division.

"I think there are six teams in the top half of the table that could go up.

"We had a setback last week when Lightcliffe beat us but we have done well here and we have big teams - Esholt and Gomersal - to play in the next two weeks and that will shape our season."

Kellett, who leads a busy life as a PE teacher in Wisbech while playing Minor Counties cricket for Cambridgeshire, is happy with Undercliffe's batting.

However, he is concerned about the gap in his bowling attack and ideally would like another third seamer. One could see his point.

They had Windhill struggling at 71 for five but the visitors recovered with a sixth-wicket stand of 66 between the experienced Maz Bhatti and 19-year-old wicketkeeper Luke Holroyd before Holroyd was out for 40, including two sixes and five fours.

Top scorer Bhatti, who held the innings together well was seventh out 20 runs later for 41, caught by Kellett at backward point.

There was some lusty hitting late in the innings by James Pringle (22 not out) and Ibrahim Mohammed (11) before Imran Amin wrapped up the innings by dismissing Ibrahim and Adam Sutcliffe to finish with five for 39 and Windhill were all out for 192 in 43.5 overs.

Kellett believes that his batting line-up is good enough to chase down any score and so Windhill's total presented few problems, although it took Undercliffe 52.3 overs to reach their target.

Kellett (19), Darren Blenkiron (33) and Duckworth made useful contributions before Heritage and Peter Oldham (27 not out) guided the visitors home with an unbroken, painstaking fourth-wicket stand of 56.

It was a disappointing day for Windhill, who slipped down two places after rising to fourth from bottom following their second win of the season against Hartshead Moor, but new captain Paul Mosey remains positive about the club's prospects.

The opening batsman, who has returned to the club from Yeadon, said: "Our policy is to play a lot of young players and our opening bowlers, Ibrahim Mohammed (18) and Adam Sutcliffe (20) and change bowler Dan Walton (19) are youngsters, as is wicketkeeper Luke Holroyd.

"I thought Luke batted superbly.

"These lads are learning the game in first-team cricket. The main problem is that we didn't bat out our overs out and we were 30 or 40 runs short on that pitch, which I believe is the best in the Second Division."