Halifax League lower divisions

The form book was upheld in Division One and leaders Illingworth increased the gap between themselves and a strong Sowerby Bridge side to 19 points thanks to another great performance from Dan Murfett.

The Aussie has been in great form with the bat and made an unbeaten 108 at Walton Street a week earlier.

Yesterday he shone with the ball, taking six for 19 as the visitors to The Ainleys were all out for 134.

Murfett’s batting average took a hit when he was dismissed for nine as Bridge hit back but Illingworth scrambled a three-wicket win thanks mainly to Stephen Cook’s 47.

Second-placed Great Horton were emphatic 156-run winners at home to Queensbury.

Adam Beesley (55 no) and Chris Brown (54) contributed well to a total of 246-6 and Dominic Anderson celebrated his call-up as 12th man for the league side next weekend by taking 5-20 as ‘Bury were dismissed for 90.

Bradshaw went above Sowerby Bridge into third with a more emphatic win over Blackley than when at home, this time by 73 runs.

Chris Pell (77) led the way in Bradshaw’s 227-6 and Blackley were 68-7 in reply before Jonathan Stenson (43) staged a partial recovery to 154-8.

Sam Wilson (85 not out) and Jason Gelder (85) put on 117 for the sixth wicket as Clayton made 341-8 to bat visitors Stones out of the game. Scott Sutcliffe stuck at it gamely for the visitors with 6-130 off 22 overs.

The struggling Ripponden side made a decent response, led by Kevin O’Rourke (80), to total 246.

Division One: Bradshaw 227-6 (Pell 77, Fisher 48, Beck 47), *Blackley 154-8 (Stenson 43*): pts 11-3. *Clayton 341-8 (Wilson 85*, Gelder 85, Sutcliffe 6-130), Stones 246 (O’Rourke 80): pts 12-5. *Great Horton PC 246-6 (Beesley 55*, Brown 54, Martin 41, Jordan 40), Queensbury 90 (Anderson 5-20): pts 12-1. Sowerby Bridge 134 (Murfett 6-19) *Illingworth St Mary’s 135-7 (Cook 47): pts 3-12.

Points (after 8 matches): Illingworth SM 83, Great Horton PC 74, Bradshaw 68, Sowerby Bridge 64, Clayton 60, Blackley 42, Queensbury 29, Stones 21.

Leymoor sprung the shock of the day in Division Two by inflicting a heavy first defeat of the season on leaders Luddenden Foot.

The visitors were rolled over for 98 in fewer than 17 overs with the Calder Valley side having no answer to Mark Coulson (5-39) and Pierce Walker (5-57).

Earlier, Leymoor had applied pressure by scoring 232-7 with Dean Dyson’s 42 the leading contribution.

Foot were joined at the top by Mount, who were comfortable 75-run winners at Low Moor HT.

Mahmad Kayat maintained his good form with 72 for the Staincliffe outfit, who made 245.

Low Moor relied too heavily on Adam Forbes (48) and James Overend (60 no), who ran out of partners.

Old Town batted solidly to reach 265-9 against Bradley & Colnebridge with Sagher Shaheen’s 41 their best score.

The Boston Hill outfit leapfrogged their opponents when Ali Asghar took 5-54 to dismiss the Huddersfield team for 134.

There were big wins for the home teams in the remaining two matches as Outlane won by 193 runs and Upper Hopton by 207 runs.

Chris Brook (139) and Lee Mellor (98) were the scourge of the Cullingworth bowlers at Outlane. Jacob Terry took 5-73 but a score of 313-9 was far too much for the visitors who succumbed to 120 all out. Steve Welch again top scored with 42 as Ben Dickens registered 5-28.

Upper Hopton hosted Greetland at Augustinians ahead of their return home after over running ground works.

There could be plenty of runs at the Woodhouse Ground next season, when Augustinians return to the league, is Upper Hopton’s score of 323-6 yesterday is anything to go by. Jack Stephenson (73 no), Matthew Haigh (72) and Joe Manning (62) certainly enjoyed the wicket and more fine weather.

Five Greetland batsmen failed to trouble the scorer in reply but Scott Whelen (57) held up the Mirfield side’s victory charge.

Division Two: *Leymoor 232-7 (Dyson 42), Luddenden Foot 98 (Coulson 5-39, Walker 5-57): pts 12-2. Mount 245 (Kayat 72), *Low Moor HT 170 (Overend 60*, Forbes 48): pts 12-5. *Old Town 265-9 (Shaheen 41, I Aslam 40), Bradley & Colnebridge 134 (Asghar 5-54): pts 12-3.*Outlane 313-9 (Brook 139, Mellor 98, Terry 5-73), Cullingworth 120 (S Welch 42, Dickens 5-28): 12-3. *Upper Hopton 323-6 (Stephenson 73*, Haigh 72, Manning 62, Moody 6-140), Greetland

116 (Whelen 57, Eastwood 4-29): pts 12-2.

Points (after 8 matches): Luddenden Foot 75, Mount 75, Upper Hopton 65, Leymoor 58, Old Town 53, Outlane 47, Bradley & Colnebridge 46, Low Moor 45, Greetland 23, Cullingworth 17.