Sarfraz Ahmed unleashed an explosive innings of 71 from only 29 balls yesterday as Woodlands maintained their JCT600 Bradford League championship challenge with a 71-run win over one-time leaders Undercliffe.

Woodlands’ win lifted them into third place, eight points behind second-placed Bradford & Bingley and 16 adrift of leaders Pudsey St Lawrence.

Woodlands were struggling at 109-6 when Sarfraz arrived at the wicket, but he transformed the innings, hitting five sixes and seven fours in an unbroken seventh-wicket stand of 84 with opener Sam Frankland, who batted through the innings, making 69 not out to enable the visitors to post 193-6.

It proved to be too many for Undercliffe, who were bowled out for 122, with Sarfraz completing a fine all-round performance with 3-38, while Richard Spittlehouse took 4-33 and slow left-arm bowler Chris Brice 3-9 in 11 overs, the first six of which were maidens. Farakh Hussain was Undercliffe’s top scorer with 45, but received little support.

Defeat was another blow to Undercliffe, who have lost their last three matches and are now in fifth place, 30 points behind the leaders.

St Lawrence maintained top spot after a five-wicket home win over next-to-bottom Saltaire.

Tim Jackson (52) and Farakh Khan (45) were top scorers in Saltaire’s 169-9 as skipper James Smith (3-26) and Gareth Clough (3-59) each took three wickets. Smith then made 71 and opener Mark Robertshaw 32 as St Lawrence cruised to their target in only 33.5 overs.

East Bierley moved into fourth place with a 20-point, 68-run win over Pudsey Congs.

Bierley made the top score of the day, 240-9, with Andrew Rennison hitting 61. Greg Wood (46), Ismail Dawood (38) and Gavin Hamilton (34) also made valuable contributions as Eugene Burzler took 6-58.

Opening bowlers, skipper Paul Hutchison (4-48) and Muhammad Azharullah (3-40), shared seven wickets as Congs were bowled out for 172, Matthew Doidge making 47.

Yeadon remain in the relegation zone, 21 points adrift of safety despite their second win in a row – by 12 runs at Gomersal.

Damon Gormley was top-scorer with 90 as Yeadon reached 209, Rob Burton(3-43) and Shahzaib Khan (3-56) each taking three wickets.

Phil Carter (69) and Richard Gould (52) gave Gomersal a great chance of victory with a second-wicket stand of 122, but the innings lost momentum as five wickets fell for 19 runs and they finished on 197-7, with Carl Heptinstall taking 4-38.

Bottom club Bankfoot almost gained their first win of the season.

Chasing Cleckheaton’s total of 169, they fell only 12 runs short on 157, with teenage off-spinner Edward Walmsley, who helped them to gain promotion last season before returning to Cleckheaton, thwarting their victory bid with 5-23.