Sunshine greeted the opening round of the Bradford Saturday League, leaving many clubs wishing they had not been so hasty in calling matches off following the recent snow.

Clayton B got off to a great start in the Bartle section with an 18-12 victory at Cleckheaton Moorend.

This came thanks to wins from Bev Shutt (21-3) and Nino Esposito (21-7), and despite 21-3 successes by Colin Fisher and Eric France for the hosts.

Rufford B opened up with a 19-11 home success over Peel A, with David Whelan (21-7), Neil Howlett (21-8) and John Fletcher (21-8) making the difference as Peel would be have been happy with five away winners.

Eccleshill C carded six away winners in their 18-12 win at South Leeds Cons, with Mark Reynolds (21-14) the pick of them.

West Bradford A opened with an impressive 25-5 home win over Brackenhill in the Haigh division, carding eight winners.

Syd North (21-6) was in terrific form and was ably assisted by Pat Edden and David Bottomley, who both won 21-7.

Guiseley B were also comfortable home winners as they beat Oakenshaw A 21-9, with Michael Dixon and Norman Lickley both logging 21-11 verdicts.

Laurie Taylor’s superb 21-6 helped Birkenshaw edge out Cleckheaton Sports A 19-11.

Robert Hayock (21-3) and Donald Whiteley (21-7) ensured a narrow 17-13 home win for Hove Edge B against Queensbury B in the Riley competition.

Asa Briggs C had an impressive 19-11 win at Peel B thanks to the evergreen Bert Haigh’s 21-7 success.

Crowghyll B edged home 18-12 against Drighlington B, with Dennis Brown’s 21-9 for Crowghyll cancelled out by Charles Wood for the visitors.

Rufford C beat Salts 23-7 in the Field Packaging section thanks to eight home winners, Tony Wood and John Hudson both carding 21-7 victories to help the cause.

Wibsey C captain Norman Klenk produced a great 21-8 at Bailiff Bridge B but saw his team slip to 17-13 defeat.

Lister got off to a flying start in their Mellor division match against Queensbury C with 21-6 wins from Eric Greaves and Len Seaton. But John Armitage replied for the visitors with a tremendous 21-4 win as Queensbury just went down 15-13.

Guiseley C were also narrow home winners over Shipley Club B, with Lynn Ogden’s 21-9 making the difference.

Bowling B were 21-7 home winners over Tyersal B thanks to wins from Jackie Swindell (21-8) and Paul Archer (21-9). Pam Fergus replied for Tyersal with a 21-8 success.

RESULTS

Bradford Saturday League

Bartle: South Leeds Cons 178 (12), Eccleshill C 191 (18); Rufford B 189 (19), Peel A 155 (11); Cleckheaton Moorend 157 (12), Clayton B 166 (18).

Haigh: Birkenshaw 188 (19), Cleckheaton Sports A 164 (11); West Bradford A 198 (25), Brackenhill 137 (5); Guiseley B 191 (21), Oakenshaw A 158 (9).

Riley: Crowghyll B 182 (18), Drighlington B 163 (12); Peel B 167 (11), Asa Briggs C 196 (19); Hove Edge B 183 (17), Queensbury B 167 (13).

Field Packaging: Rufford C 200 (23), Salts 155 (7); Bailiff Bridge B 188 (17), Wibsey C 172 (13).

Mellor: Bowling B 152 (21), Tyersal B 109 (7); Guiseley C 146 (16), Shipley Club B 136 (12); Lister 132 (15), Queensbury C 128 (13).

* The West Riding Cup qualifying round was reduced to ten matches after four teams withdrew.

Many Bradford League clubs progressed, with Pudsey A’s convincing 51-point win over Spen Victoria A the pick of the outcomes.

This came despite losses from Chris Mordue, on his Pudsey debut, and John Spinks on his return to the club.

Pudsey showed they have strength in depth as their B team only went down by 28 chalks against Crossgates A.

Qualifying round: Cleckheaton Moorend 133, Clayton Victoria 244; Morton House 204, Eccleshill 202; Crossgates A 222, Pudsey B 194; Rastrick 247, Spen Victoria B 161; Spen Victoria A 187, Pudsey A 238; Crossgates B (withdrawn) v Lower Hopton B (walkover); Asa Briggs (walkover) v Shipley Club (withdrawn); Greengates 218, Cleckheaton Sports B 165; Mirfield Old Bank B 165, Harold Club 242; Brighouse Sports B 167, Elland CA&BC 216; Ossett Flying Horse 184, Lower Hopton A 244; Hightown Club (withdrawn) v Mirfield Old Bank A (walkover); Cleckheaton Sports A 163, Brighouse Sports A 226; Troydale Rec (withdrawn) v Pudsey Littlemoor (walkover).

Draw for first round (to be played Friday): Lower Hopton A v Mirfield Old Bank A, at Rastrick; Morton House v Clayton Victoria, at Elland CA&BC (No 2 green); Pudsey BC A v Asa Briggs, at Elland CA&BC (No 1 green); Greengates v Pudsey Littlemoor, at Pudsey BC; Rastrick v Harold Club, at Hightown Club; Brighouse Sports A v Elland CA&BC, at Mirfield Old Bank. Second round (to be played Friday, April 19): Lower Hopton B v Crossgates (venue to be confirmed).

* Draw for Pilling Cup, first round (to be played Friday): Brighouse Sports B v Pudsey BC B, at Spen Victoria (bottom green); Mirfield Old Bank B v Spen Victoria B, at Brighouse (No 2 green). Second round: Cleckheaton Moorend v Cleckheaton Sports A, at Lower Hopton; Eccleshill v Ossett Flying Horse, at Brighouse (No 1 green); Cleckheaton Sports B v Spen Victoria A, at Morton House.

* The 2013 Shipley Classic, sponsored by HH Birch & Son Ltd and Yorkshire Building Society, kicks off with qualifying dates on Fridays, May 17, 24 and 31 and June 7, with the finals on Friday, June 14.

The entry fee is £15 and spaces are still available. Anyone interested should contact John Preston on e-mail johnapreston@btinternet.com.

* Draw for Yorkshire Cup, qualifying round (to be played Saturday): Paddock C&BC v Crossgates B, at Horbury WMC; Skipton Broughton Road v Rothwell BC, at Eccleshill; Kirkheaton C&BC v Shepley BC, at Farnley Tyas; Elland CA&BC v Ladyhill Park, at Slazengers; Bradley & Colne v Hemplow B, at Milnsbridge Lib; Borough BC v Canalside B, at Castleford Town; Hemsworth Con v Asa Briggs, at Paddock C&BC; Crosland Moor A v Milnsbridge Lib A, at Linthwaite C&BC; Spen Victoria B v Pudsey Littlemoor, at Heckmondwike; Hemplow A v Crossgates A, at Wakefield BC; Cononley v Clayton West, at Halifax BC; Lowerhouses v Pudsey BC B, at Outwood WMC; Linthwaite C&BC v Guiseley, at Akroydon Victoria; Eccleshill v Golcar Lib, at Northowram; Longwood BC v Cleckheaton Sports B, at Mirfield Old Bank; Chapel St BC v Brockholes BC, at Clayton Victoria; Netherton Con B v Linthwaite Hall, at Huddersfield RUFC BC; Horbury WMC v Hemsworth Welfare, at Rothwell BC; Swillington MW v Brighouse Sports A, at Clayton West; Alverthorpe WMC v Outwood WMC, at Swillington MW; Marsh Utd v Cross Roads, at Hightown Lib; Cowcliffe Lib v Lindley Lib, at Almondbury Lib; Farnley Tyas v Morton House, at Millbridge Park; Almondbury BC v Slaithwaite BC, at Broad Oak BC; Tadcaster BC v Almondbury Lib B, at Alverthorpe WMC; Wyke v Milnsbridge Lib B, at Sowerby Bridge West End; Wakefield Thornes v Kingston, at Marsh United; Mirfield Old Bank B v Crossgates Rec, at Hemsworth Con; Heptonstall v Thongsbridge BC B, at Royds Park; Crosland Moor B v Wibsey Park, at Kingston; Lockwoon Con C v Mirfield Old Bank A, at Asa Briggs: Brighouse Sports B v Netherton Con C, at Elland CA&BC; Sandal BC v Lockwood Con B, at Hove Edge WMC; Lindley BC v The Hollies, at Sowerby Bridge Hillcrest; Kirkheaton Con v Almondbury Lib A, at Skelmanthorpe Central; Rastrick PSBC v Sowerby Bridge Hillcrest, at Guiseley; Clayton Victoria v Newsome WMC, at Morton House; Greenroyd v Springwood, at Overthorpe Sports; Outland – bye. Exempt clubs: Canalside BC A, Lower Hopton WMC B, Pudsey BC A, Lower Hopton WMC A, Thongsbridge BC A, Spen Victoria A, Lockwood Con, Moldgreen Con, Cleckheaton Sports A, Milnsbridge BC, Netherton Con A.

* Draw for Eric Hutchinson, qualifying round (to be played Saturday): Allerton Bywater v Dalton, at Cleckheaton Sports; Hightown Lib v Oxenhope, at Rufford Park; Slazengers v Castleford Town, at Spen Victoria; Bradley & Colne v Northowram, at Brighouse Sports; Colton v Settle, at Ladyhill Park; Pudsey BC v Ossett CA&BC, at Lockwood Con; Longwood BC v Almondbury BC B, at Milnsbridge BC; South Kirkby MW v Holbeck Ltd, at Shipley BC; Meanwood Park v Magnet Sports, at Drighlington Park; Boston Spa v Skelmanthorpe Central, at Holbeck Ltd; Pudsey Littlemoor v Spen Victoria, at Sandal BC; Heckmondwike v Marsh Lib, at Chapel St BC; Halifax BC v Broad Oak BC B, at Lower Hopton WMC; Scholes v Allan Park, at Crowghyll Park; Eccleshill v Hemplow, at Rastrick PSBC; Sherburn BC v Akroydon Victoria, at South Kirkby MW; Crowghyll Park v Horbury WMC, at Almondbury BC; Rufford Park B v Broad Oak BC A, at Pontefract BC; Peel Park v Horton Park, at Pudsey BC; Sowerby Bridge West End v Rawdon Park, at Peel Park; Rastrick PSBC v Asa Briggs, at South Leeds Con; Pontefract BC v South Leeds Con, at Bradley & Colne; Kirkheaton Con v Barwick, at The Hollies; Millbridge Park v Horsforth Woodside, at Allerton Bywater; Thorner v Greengates, at Wayside; Aberford v Whitby, at Tadcaster BC; Clayton Victoria v Ossett Flying Horse, at Lindley Lib; Harold Park v Linthwaite C&BC, at Whitkirk; Overthorpe Sports v Thornhill C&BC, at Kirkheaton Con; Brockholes BC A v Almondbury Lib B, at Kirkheaton C&BC; Whitkirk v Huddersfield RUFC BC, at Harold Park; Royds Park v Newsome WMC, at Wyke; Brockholes BC B v Almondbury Lib A, at Lowerhouses; Wayside v Golcar Lib, at Wibsey Park; Hunmanby v Wakefield BC, at Magnet Sports; Milnsbridge BC v Linthwaite Hall, at Springwood; Bridlington Bay v Hove Edge WMC, at Aberford; Cleckheaton Sports v Almondbury BC A, at Ossett Flying Horse; Bridlington Dukes Park v Garforth Rec B, at Boston Spa; Cowcliffe Lib B v Morton House, at Ripponden Park; Guiseley – bye. Exempt clubs: Shipley BC, Garforth Rec A, Skipton Craven, Glasshoughton Welfare, Rufford Park A, Drighlington Park, Cowcliffe Lib, Cleckheaton Moorend, Savile Park (Cas), Ripponden Park.