Alex and Ben star for Illingworth

Illingworth's Alex Ledger was among the wickets yesterday

Alex Ledger’s six for 21 towards the back end of the visitors’ innings limited the leaders to 169.

Third-placed Illingworth got two of Silsden’s overs and used up three balls of the extra supply.

They looked in trouble at 44 for four but Ben Robertshaw’s 70 off 123 balls revived their hopes. He was seventh out with the total on 145 but Matthew Sewell (17 no) and Stephen Cook (10 no) saw Illingworth through to victory.

Calderdale pair Lightcliffe and Brighouse both flopped with the bat and were beaten in the Bradford League.

Lightcliffe were bowled out for 86 away to Hanging Heaton and lost by eight wickets in Division One.

It was a second disappointment of the season at Bennett Lane, where their defence of the Priestley Cup had come unstuck in the first round at the start of the month.

Lightcliffe’s batsmen had no answer to off spinner David Paynter (five for 24) and Dan Busfield (three for 32), losing their last eight wickets for 32 runs.

Opener Josh Wheatley (23), skipper Jonathan Wilson (22) and Oliver Robinson (17) were the only players in double figures.

Hanging Heaton’s ex-Illingworth and Yorkshire player Gary Fellows clinched victory with 58 not out.

Brighouse were dismissed for 94 in response to hosts Great Horton’s 182 in Division Two.

Zafar Jadoon (five for 39) and Johannes Van Ee (three for 53) looked to have given the visitors a fighting chance but only Muhammad Khurshid (32) and Zahir Hussain (27) made an impact with the bat as Brighouse folded from 74 for two.

Elland and Barkisland fared no better in the Huddersfield League’s top flight.

Elland lost by two wickets at home to lowly Meltham.

It was slow going for their batsmen after the weekend’s rain and they managed only 123 for six off their 50 overs with Greg Finn making a patient 39 not out.

That modest score looked as though it might be enough when a good all-round bowling effort reduced Meltham to 76 for five and 96 for seven but the visitors’ tail-enders did enough.

Barkisland crashed to a nine wicket defeat at Scholes, who have started the season well.

Skipper Darren Robinson made 46 and Matthew Steers 41 but Barkisland were dismissed for 138 and Scholes romped to victory with 76 not out from Peter Drysdale.

Walsden made smooth progress in the first round of the Lancashire Cup, winning by eight wickets away to Vernon Carus CC, who play in the Palace Shield competition.

The Preston side made 181 for eight, with Sri Lankan Umesh Karunaratne taking three for 21, and Jake Hooson’s unbeaten 79 and 54 from Joe Gale wrapped up victory.