Bradshaw the early pace-setters in Halifax Cricket League

He staggered everyone, including himself, by recording figures of 8.5-0-44-9, his previous best being 2-18 in 2018.

Luddendenfoot was the victim and it had already suffered from Metcalf’s bat, as he hit 69 runs in a Bridge total of 211 all out. The Foot could only manage 167 all out in reply.

Tom Wood followed up his century of the previous week with another fine effort, hitting 111 runs on SBCI’s visit to Bradshaw but still finished on the losing team as the home team won by three wickets to go top of the embryonic league table, alongside resurgent Copley and Illingworth St Mary’s.

The former demolished Triangle to win by six wickets, as Oliver Thorpe took 7-26, whilst St Mary’s inflicted a first defeat on champions Mytholmroyd by four wickets.

Warley shocked Booth in winning by 25 runs, as Faheem Khatana hit an unbeaten 103 runs. The home team, despite Patrick Thomas (107) also hitting a ton, finds itself in the very unusual position of third bottom, as Triangle props up the table.

At the other end of the spectrum, as the First Division got underway, Queensbury, formed in 1983, set an unwanted club record as it was dismissed for a miserly 24 runs at Sowerby St Peter’s, Jack Westerby taking 6-13. St Peter’s cruised home by nine wickets.

Saturday’s fixture list sends all three Premier joint leaders on their travels with Bradshaw at Sowerby Bridge, Copley at SBCI and Illingworth St Mary’s visiting promoted Great Horton PC.

There is an intriguing match in the First Division where relegated Blackley make the less than two miles journey to promoted Greetland, for the first league clash between the two for a long number of years.

Another match in this division pits promotion hopefuls Low Moor HT against one of the favourites as it entertains Sowerby St Peters whilst in the Second Division Mount will be expected to maintain its 100 per cent start to the season at home to Augustinians.,