Ben helps Barkisland to rare joy

Westbrook hit 86 at home to Armitage Bridge and the all-round efforts of Jake Finch were also important as the Calderdale side notched a 41-run success.

Barkisland totalled 253 for eight, Finch supporting Westbrook with 37 and then taking 3-31 as Bridge were dismissed for 212, Saqib Matlub making 76.

Barkisland remain 21 points from safety, with games running out, and their place in the top flight next season could be taken by Rastrick.

The Round Hill men have a 10 point lead in the Championship after maintaining their winning run with a five wicket success at Clayton West.

They had outstanding performances from two players; Ollie Pearson who took 7-81 in West’s 218 and overseas pro Asif Afridi who continued his string of useful contributions with 87.

Rastrick have a derby match away to Elland next Saturday.

The Hullen Edge men are up to fourth after Alastair Finn’s five for 25 helped bowled out hosts Lascelles Hall for 132 and set up a four wicket win.

Umesh Karunaratne’s excellent season with the bat continued as Pennine League leaders Walsden retained their six point lead over Norden in the Premiership.

The leading pair had easy home wins over lowly opposition.

While Norden were bowling out Glodwick for 109 before wrapping up an eight-wicket win, Walsden had a longer afternoon after being sent in at Scott Street by bottom side Saddleworth.

Josh Gale (78) and Jake Hooson (26) put on 83 for the first wicket, bringing Karunaratne to the crease.

The Sri Lankan hit 113 not out off 69, including eight sixes, pushing up the scoring rate and allowing Walsden to reach 252 for four.

He followed up with 3-43 in a Saddleworth card dominated by pro Imran Aslam’s 81. Aslam fell to Nick Barker, whose brother Stevie’s 4-23 figures were the best as Saddleworth were bowled out for 159.

Lightcliffe found Sam Frankland a stumbling block as they lost by 67 runs away to Woodlands in the Bradford League’s top flight.

Frankland batted throughout the home innings and hit four sixes and eight fours in an unbeaten 101, which helped his side total 210 for six.

Young spinner Daanyaal Ahmed took 3-56 and Kashif Naveed 2-48 in 15 over shifts but the other bowlers were more expensive.

Kasir Maroof (35) helped the visitors to 83 for one but only Ian Philliskirk (30) made an impact after that and the last four wickets fell with the total on 143.

Northowram Fields’ hopes of a second successive promotion were hit by a four-wicket home defeat to second-placed Hunslet Nelson.

The star of the show was the visitors’ young wicketkeeper/batsman Harry Duke, who made an unbeaten 83 as the Leeds side chased down the Rams’ 177.

Jason Smith, relieved of the captaincy duties with John Lister back, was promoted to number four and top scored with 56 for the home side.

He followed up with three for 46 in a fraught second half but could not shift Duke.

Brighouse lost by three wickets at home to Idle, never fully recovering from a poor start.

They were 36 for four before Khurram Maqsood (47) and Adil Mehmood (30) helped them 161.

West Indian Deron Greaves followed up his 3-29 with 58 and Arbaab Hussain (43) provided support as Idle resisted the efforts of an eight-man attack.