Lift-off for Brighouse

An unbroken 120-run stand by Sohail Hussain (75no) and Wajid Hussain (66no) did the trick as the Russell Way men passed their hosts’ total of 193 with almost seven wickets to spare.

Sunny Matharu’s side failed to win in the first half of the season but have now notched four successes and gone above Spen Victoria.

Keighley had beaten leaders Hartshead Moor the previous week and looked on course for another win when Andrew Wear (68) and Luke Chapman (32) helped them set a useful target, Adil Mehmood (4-33) and Matharu (3-37) being the pick of the visiting attack.

Northowram Fields are third in the same section after completing a double over Buttershaw St Paul’s, the side that beat them to the bottom section title last Summer.

Ben Grech’s availability is limited due to football but he made 78 and holidaying Aussie Brad Hauenstein hit 56 as the Rams posted 216 for eight.

Three wickets each for Zafar Khan, Hauenstein and Ashton Richardson sent Buttershaw spinning to 139 all out.

St Paul’s were 57 for six before a 67-run stand between James Brown (40) and Ben Platt (22) was broken by Hauenstein and led to their demise.

Lightcliffe lost at home to Priestley Cup finalists New Farnley by two wickets.

Alex Stead was back on song for the hosts with 80 at the top of their order. Overseas player Kashif Naveed (38) and Jonathan Wilson (25) help Lightcliffe total 212 for six.

That wasn’t quite enough, in spite of three wickets each for Jonathan Whitoak and Naveed, as skipper Lee Goddard (50), Dave Cummings (49) and Nick Walker (40) tipped the scales the Leeds side’s way.

Barkisland’s miserable run in the Huddersfield League continued with an eight-wicket defeat at another lowly side, Skelmanthorpe.

Ben Westbrook hit an unbeaten 51 but the only other players in double figures in their total of 164 were opener Alex Kaye (40) and Luke Bridges (24).

Allan Greenwood spearheaded the home reply with 69 and Michael Kitson’s 46 not out helped Skelmanthorpe cruise to victory and leave Barkisland a massive 22 points adrift at the bottom of the Premiership.

Their place could be taken next year by Rastrick, who are clear at the top of the Championship after maintaining their winning ways with a seven wicket success at home to Lascelles Hall. The visitors were limited to 153.

Elland are fifth after a superb knock from opener Liam Fletcher propelled them to a 49-run win over Linthwaite at Hullen Edge.

Fletcher batted throughout the home innings and finished unbeaten on 155 in a total of 280 for three, Jacob Bower making 39 and Paul Winrow 34 not out.

Linthwaite were grateful to Qaiser Rashid in reply. He made 118 not out as the visitors finished on 231 for nine with Peter Dobson picking up four wickets.

Todmorden boosted their hopes of a first Lancashire League title since 1957 when Hamza Ali spurred them to victory at Haslingden.

The Centre Vale men moved up to second, only one point behind Clitheroe, with a 64-run win in their opening game in phase two of the season.

Ali took a career best five for 20 as the hosts were bowled out for 148 in reply to Tod’s 212 for eight, which included a fluent 52 from South African Kelly Smuts, 34 not out from Elliott Gilford and 33 from Kai Abbas.

Walsden maintained their five-point lead over Norden at the top of the Pennine League with a comfortable six-wicket win over Stayley on ladies’ say at Scott Street.

The visitors elected to bat and were soon in trouble at 22-3. They lost wickets steadily to be dismissed for 108 with Stevie Barker claiming three early victims, Umesh Karunaratne four of the middle order and then Joe Gale the last two.

Gale’s brother Josh then hit an unbeaten 59 off 76 balls to finish the job, losing four partners along the way.