Birstall’s hopes of boosting their Central Yorkshire League Premier Division survival hopes and progressing to the semi-final of the Heavy Woollen Cup floundered on both counts on a weekend of double disappointment.

In the delayed quarter-final tie at Huddersfield League side Shepley, Stewart Clifton’s side were outplayed from start to finish.

Clifton scored 40 for Birstall but Shepley bowled them out for just 101 and then knocked the runs off with seven wickets to spare.

The other delayed quarter-final saw holders, and current Premier Division leaders, Wrenthorpe finish two-wicket winners at First Division Buttershaw St Paul’s in an all CYL tie.

Buttershaw gave an excellent account of themselves as former Wrenthorpe man Paul Carroll made a top-scoring 77 out of 198, Tom Glover taking 6-64, but the visitors battled through to a two-wicket win with crucial knocks from skipper Gary Fellows (45) and Luke Patel (42).

All-conquering Wrenthorpe also found it hard going in their league game against Birstall, Zafar Khan (4-44) and Paul Blakeley (3-43) bowling them out for 152, but Neil Gill (4-38) helped bowl them to victory with ten runs to spare.

Elsewhere, Liversedge lost to Altofts, Batley lost to 2009 champions Methley and Ossett were beaten at home to Townville by just five runs. They scored 279-6 chasing a score of 284-6 that included 102 from 15-year old Jonathan Booth off 107 balls.

In Division One, Moorlands lost ground in the promotion chase, losing to leaders Hunslet Nelson by 35 runs but Mirfield Parish climbed into second after a two-wicket win over Woodkirk and Buttershaw kept their outside promotion chances alive with an eight-wicket win over Caribbean.