Illingworth sew up Division 2 title

Actions from Blackley v Bridgeholme, at Blackley CC. Pictured is Dan Houlden

The St Mary’s club have breezed through the bottom section, following their switch from the Aire/Wharfe League, and claimed the silverware with three games to spare courtesy of a seven-wicket home win against Low Moor HT.

Daniel Murfet took 5-22 as Moor were limited to 118 and opener and Callum Cook (46 no) completed the job.

There are only two rounds of fixtures left in the middle section and only seven points separate the top four.

Southowram hold a one-point lead over Cullingworth with Bridgeholme and Sowerby Bridge snapping at their heels after each of the quartet picked up 12 points yesterday.

The Rams had to battle for a four-wicket win at Shelf after Ian Gledhill’s 4-22 had dismissed the hosts for 138.

Cullingworth’ made light of knocking off the 174 needed to notch a 10-wicket win at Great Horton Park Chapel, star player Ben Burkill making 86 not out.

Chris Kibble hit 101 not out and Yasir Mahmood (40 no) combined with him to score the last 90 runs Bridgeholme needed to top Blackley’s 196 all out.

Sowerby Bridge confirmed Stones’ relegation with an eight-wicket win.

Sam Mellor (3-35) and Jake Dixon (3-27) softened up the visitors before Steve Shannon (4-3) finished off the Ripponden side for 88.

Bradshaw lead the hunt for the second promotion place in Division Two.

A seventh-wicket stand of 113 runs between Mohammed Yousaf (67 not out) and Steve Beck (64) proved to be the decisive factor in a 13-run home win over Leymoor.

Martin Allison must have had them worried. He hit 108 in pursuit of Bradshaw’s 270 for seven but when he was eighth out with the total on 245, Leymoor’s bid fell short.

Third-placed Clayton showed they have not given up the hunt with a 191-run thrashing of hosts Luddenden Foot.

Chris Ramsden (65) and Tanweer Aslam (63) helped set Foot 300 to win but Mitesh Mistry (5-43) and Paul Gelder (4-46) ensured there was never a hope of the hosts getting near.

Mohammed Ahdeem provided a sting in the tail for Upper Hopton’s bowlers at Old Town.

Town were 135-7 before Ahdeem came in and hit 12 maximums in a knock of 92 not out to lift the total to 220.

Shellshocked Hopton managed only 138 in reply.

Much-improved Greetland beat Mount by five wickets, Paul Quarmby (46 no), Ilaq Jamal (43) and Damien Reynolds (41) helping them overhaul the West Vale visitors’ 165, which included 71 from Al Hussain.

Lee Mellor (46) and Andrew Holding (43 no) guided Outlane to a six-wicket win over Birchencliffe.

Division One: *Blackley 196 (Shiel 57, White 41), Bridgeholme 200-4 (Kibble 101*, Y Mahmood 40*): pts 4-12. *Great Horton PC 173, Cullingworth 177-0: pts 2-12. *Shelf 138 (Gledhill 4-22), Southowram 139-6 (Rashid 4-61): pts 2-12. Stones 88 (Shannon 4-3), *Sowerby Bridge 89-2: pts 0-12.

Points: Southowram 170, Cullingworth 169, Bridgeholme 163, Sowerby Bridge 163, Blackley 137, Great Horton PC 126, Shelf 86, Stones 58.

Division Two: *Bradshaw 270-7 (Yousaf 67*, Beck 64, Aslam 52), Leymoor 257 (Allison 108, Jones 40, Ryan 5-88): pts 12-5. Mount 165 (Al Hussain 71, Khan 4-37), *Greetland 167-5 (Quarmby 46*, Jamal 43, Reynolds 41): pts 3-12. Low Moor HT 118 (Murfet 5-22), *Illingworth St Mary’s 120-3 (C Cook 46*): pts 1-12. Clayton 299-8 (Ramsden 65, Aslam 63, Evans 42, Wade 4- 62), *Luddenden Foot 108 (Mistry 5-43, Gelder 4-63): pts 12-3. *Old Town 220 (Ahdeem 92*, Ahmed 51), Upper Hopton 138: pts 12-4. Birchencliffe 130 (Lawton 4-55), *Outlane 133-4 (Mellor 46, Holding 43*): pts 2-12.

Points: Illingworth SM 224, Bradshaw 181, Clayton 171, Luddenden Foot 141, Outlane 138, Mount 134, Leymoor 123, Greetland 113, Old Town 107, Low Moor 95, Upper Hopton 88, Birchencliffe 81.