A 40-minute stoppage due to rain and bad light meant Thornton came up just short in chasing Denholme's 145 for six in Division One of the Evening League.
In reply, Richard Gould scored 50 not out for the hosts who finished on 125 for four.
Home side British Telecom were dismissed by Shelf for just 47, M Faisal taking three for nine. BT lost just four wickets in reaching their target.
At Esholt, the home side suffered at the hands of three Windhill batsmen, who all ended unbeaten. Dave Pierce (51), Luke Holroyd (50) and Mick Burts (41) saw their team to 162 for three. The Esholt reply never got going as only captain Richard Whitehurst (27) made any kind of score in their total of 113 for six.
There was another high-scoring game at Taurus Sports where visitors Baildon Meths must have been happy with their score of 152 for five, newcomer Ava Smith making 50 not out. In reply, Taurus made 157 for nine with M Maroof top-scoring on 66 not out. D Atkinson (3-25) and T Foster (4-29) were Baildon's best bowlers.
In Division Two, Low Moor won the battle of two undefeated sides by beating Wibsey Park Chapel by five wickets. John Gelder made 50 not out in Wibsey's 134 for five but another unbeaten half-century from Andrew Pinfield saw the hosts go level with Haworth Road at the top.
Haworth Road visited Norwood Green and scored 116 for six, with the home side making 101 for six in reply.
I Hussain scored 53 not out in Sandy Lane's total of 117 at Bingley Congs and then took three for four in Bingley's reply of 82. A Ejaz bagged a hat-trick in taking four for six.
John Breare made 116 for eight (Jason Holmes 51no) before Gary Tinsley took four for 11 as Royal Mail finished on 102 for eight.
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