Barkisland add to Elland's woes

They beat the bottom side by five wickets at Hullen Edge in spite of a fine innings from Elland’s best player Robin Broom.

The captain had hit 45 in a two wicket defeat in the first meeting and he made 83 not out in the rematch to guide his side to 179 for eight.

However, tall opener Alex Kaye bettered his 60 in the game at Barkisland, making 68, and Jake Finch hit 47 to help seal success.

Walsden boosted their Pennine League title hopes with a tense two-wicket home win over Saddleworth in the battle between the first and third-placed teams.

Saddleworth’s top five batted solidly, led by Brian Lord (48) and Danny Hesford (47), but spinner Umesh Karunaratne took six for 45 to keep the visitors to 202 all out after 49.4 overs.

Jake Hooson anchored the reply with 79 off 100 balls and opening partner Josh Gale made 39 but Walsden, 187 for four at one stage, made hard work of it in the end.

Matthew Dawson’s 24 not out saw them home with four deliveries to spare.

Littleborough won by seven wickets at Monton and Weaste and stay two points behind Walsden.

Illingworth’s poor run in the middle section of the Aire/Wharfe League continued with a 79 run defeat at Adel.

They got off to a good start with Ben Robertshaw and Jamie Moorhouse removing both openers. Andy Laws hit a quick fire 37 before he was dismissed by Luke Brooksby, but Adel were well set on 77 for three at drinks.

Illingworth then hit back to reduce Adel to 133 for nine before a 63 run last wicket partnership gave the momentum firmly to the home side. The visitors did not help themselves by conceding 40 extras.

In reply, Illingworth reached 50 for one through Karl Gornall (20) and Matty Smith (34) before home skipper Nick Smith came on to bowl. He then ripped through the top and middle order, ending up with seven for 35.

A late partnership of 42 between Callum Cook (25 no) and Ben Robertshaw (24) reduced the losing margin. Illingworth face leaders Colton at home next week.

Lightcliffe’s attack suffered at the hands of Bradford & Bingley opener Charlie Best, who helped the visitors to a 68-run victory in the Bradford League’s top flight.

Best hit 128, including five sixes and 11 fours, and enabled his side to post a useful 235 for eight at Wakefield Road.

Lightcliffe, lacking skipper and top batsman Alex Stead, were dismissed for 167 in reply.

Ryan Norris (6-58) and Noman Ali (4-57) picked up all the wickets while Pakistani Suleman Khan (45) and Ian Philliskirk (40) fared best for Lightcliffe.

Brighouse suffered one of the biggest defeats in the club’s history - by 284 runs at Championship B leaders Townville.

The Castleford side piled up 391 for five, 262 of them coming in a third-wicket stand between Jack Hughes (169) and Jonathan Booth (141).

Aleem Ladak took three for 62 for Brighouse, who made only 107 in reply.

Conference leaders Northowram Fields redeemed themselves with the ball after a poor batting display at home to Oulton.

Opener Majid Jahangir made 41 but the Rams needed 21 from skipper John Lister to get them up to 132 after being 81 for eight. Joseph Sykes (six for 36) and Matthew Boucher (three for 50) did the damage.

Oulton slipped for 40 for one to 67 for seven and were eventually all out for 119. Jonathan Lee took four for 19 and the dependable Zafar Khan three for 27, while Steve Elliott pouched three slip catches.

Buttershaw picked up maximum points at home to Gildersome and are only six behind Northowram, with a game in hand, but third-placed Great Preston lost.

Huddersfield League, Premier Division: *Elland 179-8 (R Broom 83no; A Scholefield 4-28), Barkisland 180-5 (A Kaye 68, J Finch 47).

Aire/Wharfe League, Division Two: *Adel 196-9 (A Laws 37, L Brooksby 3-51), Illingworth 117 (M Smith 34, N Smith 7-35).

Bradford League, Premier Division: Bradford & Bingley 235-8 (C Best 128, J Edgar 42; I Philliskirk 3-64), *Lightcliffe 167 (S Khan 45, I Philliskirk 40, M Brooke 35, Ryan Norris 6-58, Noman Ali 4-37).

Championship B: *Townville 391-5 (J Booth 141, J Hughes 169, N Bresnan 32*, A Ladak 3-62), Brighouse 107 (A Hussain 25, J Hughes 3-20, A Page 5-23).

Conference: *Northowram Fields 132 (M Jahangir 41, J Lister 26, M Boucher 3-50, J Sykes 6-36), Oulton 119 (R Healey 25, Z Khan 3-27, J Lee 4-19).

Pennine League: Saddleworth 202 (B Lord 48, D Hesford 47, U Karunaratne 6-45), *Walsden 203-8 (J Hooson 79, Josh Gale 39).