Illingworth's Murfett piling up runs

Hosts Illingworth got off to a confident start with Calum Cook (26) and Stephen Cook (37) helping them to 100-2 off 20 overs.

The introduction of Simon Collins (5-44) brought immediate rewards as Illingworth stuttered to 131-5 but Dan Murfett continued to hold the innings together and fell to the last ball of the innings for 97.

It continued Murfett’s sensational start to the season after scores of 100 and 92 in his two earlier trips to the crease.

Bradshaw were 30-6 in reply with Ben Clarke picking up four wickets in his first six overs.

A century stand between Mohammed Yousef (68 no) and evergreen Andy Ingham (32) helped Bradshaw to frustrate the home attack and finish on 136-8. Clarke finished with 6-34.

Sowerby Bridge openers Tim Helliwell (130 no) and Paul Smith (66 no) knocked off the 208 runs their side needed to win at Stones.

The Ripponden side must have been hopeful of some much-needed success at the tea interval, Kevin O’Rourke having led the way with 56 runs, but their six bowlers were unable to find a break though.

Blackley were grateful to Sam Hesmondhalgh (57) and Anthony Langton (47) for setting up their first win of the season.

A victory by 102 runs at home to Queensbury does not reflect the anxiety they must have felt at 59-5 before their sixth-wicket pair added 95 and helped them to 216-8.

Deflated Queensbury made only 114 in reply as Jacob Linsel matched Joseph Clough’s earlier 4-40 return.

The early leaders are Great Horton Park Chapel, for whom Adam Beesley’s 86 helped them break the back of a run chase at Clayton.

Needing 233 for victory, Beesley fell with Chapel’s total on 232, leaving Waqar Ilyas (37 no) to complete a six-wicket win with three overs to spare.

Scores: *Blackley 216-8 (Hesmondhaigh 57, Langton 47, Clough 4-40), Queensbury 114 (Linsel 4-40): pts 12-3. *Clayton 232-8 (Bartley 47, Wilson 47, Wilkins 43), Great Horton PC 233-4 (Beesley 86): pts 4-11. *Illingworth St Mary’s 227-9 (Murfett 97, Collins 5-44), Bradshaw 136-8 (Yousef 68*, Clarke 6-34): pts 11-3. *Stones 207-8 (O’Rourke 56, Mellor 8-81), Sowerby Bridge 210-0 (Helliwell 130*, Smith 66*): pts 3-11.

Points: Great Horton PC 37, Illingworth SM 36, Sowerby Bridge 34, Bradshaw 31, Clayton 24, Blackley 21, Queensbury 17, Stones 8.

HAYDEN Bruce flogged the Low Moor bowling to leave Luddenden Foot sitting pretty with a clear lead at the head of Division Two.

Bruce let his shoulders rather than his legs do the work, 124 of his 163 runs coming in boundaries, including eight sixes.

Joel Cleary (60) and Tom Hosker (54) also enjoyed themselves, the efforts of five-wicket Daniel Russon being unable to prevent Foot piling up 390-9.

Low Moor lost three early wickets but Joe Williams (65) and Craig Green (63) provided some resistance to a victory achieved by a 166-run margin.

Martin Allison’s 86 helped Leymoor upset high-flyers Bradley & Colnebridge in an all-Huddersfield clash. His contribution in a total of 164 all out was the difference in a 40-run win.

Pierce Walker (5-46) and Zafar Iqbal (50) were the stand-out performers in the second innings.

Greetland got off the mark with a one-wicket win at Cullingworth in a low-scoring affair.

They were grateful to Lee Smirthwaite’s 33 not out to see them over the winning line as they chased only 113.

Jamie Moody (7-30) gave the West Vale side the upper hand but Dave Robinson (6-65) tried to pull the game out of the fire for Cullingworth.

Phil Poole also had a decent game for the hosts with 33 and three for 24 off 15 overs.

Old Town’s renaissance, which started midway through last season, continued as they moved into third place with a 53-run win at bottom club Outlane.

Town made 228-8 with Sajid Mahmood (80) well supported by Sajid Khan (49).

Adam Davies (61) and George Smith (45) led the reply but Outlane were dismissed for 175 with Ali Asghar (5-59) and Waqas Ali (4-53) bowling their side to victory.

Mount gained a second win of the season with an eight-wicket success at Upper Hopton.

They looked set for a long, difficult afternoon when home openers Ian Wightman (43) and Keyur Mistry (56) gave Hopton a solid start.

However, sixth and seventh choice bowlers Mahmad Gheewala (5-25) and Imran Rawat (5-37 then cut through the home ranks to leave Mount needing 164 for victory.

Gheewala kept up the good work by making 53 not out with the bat, he and Anees Rawat (54 no) sealing victory in only the 22nd over.

Scores: *Cullingworth 113 (Moody 7-30), Greetland 114-9 (Robinson 6-65): pts 3- 12,*Leymoor 164 (Allison 86), Bradley & Colnebridge 124 (Iqbal 50, Walker 5-46): pts 12-4. *Luddenden Foot 390-9 (Bruce 163, Cleary 60, Hosker 54, Russon 5-94), Low Moor HT 224 (Williams 65, Green 63): pts 12-5. Old Town 228-8 (Mahmood 80, Khan 49, Mellor 4-63), *Outlane 175 (Davies 61, Smith 45, Asghar 5-59, Ali 4-53): pts 12-4. *Upper Hopton 163 (Mistry 56, Wightman 43, Gheewala 5-25, I Rawat 5-37), Mount 165-2 (A Rawat 54*, Gheewala 53*, I Rawat 42): pts 2-12.

Points: Luddenden Foot 38, Bradley & Colnebridge 30, Old Town 29, Mount 28, Low Moor 21, Leymoor 18, Upper Hopton 18, Greetland 16, Cullingworth 11, Outlane 9.