Honours even at Bridge

James Holdsworth was the star performer in the first half, making 97 not out for Bridge.

Dean Crossley (62), David Jowett (45) and Tom Belfield (34) led what looked likely to be a successful chase when seven were scored off the first two balls of the final over, leaving only two more required.

However, three dot balls followed and former Parish Cup winning skipper Ian Uttley was run out off the last going for a winning second run.

Bridge salvaged eight points but still lost ground on the two teams above them, Cullingworth and Blackley.

Cullingworth scraped a two-wicket win at Stones.

Jack Collins (86) scored almost half of the Ripponden side’s 177 all out total. Steve Welch top scored with 56 in Cullingworth’s successful chase.

Blackley survived a mini crisis to beat visitors Great Horton PC by five wickets.

Half-centuries from Dominic Anderson (50) and Matthew Jordan (67) helped Chapel to 207 and Blackley were tottering at 11 for three in reply.

However, a 145-run partnership between Adam Turner (84) and Thomas Baxter (71) changed the picture dramatically.

Bridgeholme lost ground on the top three when they fell victim to a well-timed run chase by hosts Shelf, who won by three wickets.

The Eastwood side were 77 for four until Chris Kibble (86) and Yasir Mahmood (73 no) added 137 and helped lift the total to 255.

Shelf were 32 for four before experienced Bill Sugden (84) and Andy Dimbleby (78) added 145.

With 84 needed off the last 10 overs, Babar Mailk (44 no) struck the ball firmly, including Shelf’s winning four down the ground with nine deliveries left.

First Division: Great Horton PC 207 (Jordan 67, Anderson 50, Stenson 4-22), *Blackley 208-5 (Turner 84, T Baxter 71): pts 4-12. Bridgeholme 255-7 (Kibble 86, Y Mahmood 73*), *Shelf 257-6 (Sugden 84, Dimbleby 78, Malik 44*): pts 5-10. *Sowerby Bridge 226-7, Southowram 226-7: pts 8-8. *Stones 177, Cullingworth 181-8: pts 4-12.

In Division Two, three batsmen were in fine form at Luddenden Foot where Low Moor’s Scott Osborne and Bradley Osborne each made 99.

At least they had the consolation of their team winning by seven wickets.

Opener Scott was caught one short of three figures while Bradley was left agonisingly one short of a century when Moor reached a rain-reduced target.

Moor’s bowlers had earlier been mauled by Lee Broadbent, whose 150 included 22 fours and seven sixes.

Foot piled up 318 for eight, with Martin Jenkins (six for 82) the one bowler on show to have anything to crow about.

However, rain shrunk Moor’s target and they comfortable reached a winning 249 for three.

The three leading teams all gained maximum 12 point victories.

Illingworth visited Outlane and made short work of the fifth placed side.

Electing to bat, Outlane looked to be on course for a decent score at 67 for two and although Chris Brook held his side together with an aggressive 60 he had little support.

The home side collapsed to 109 all out with Steve Cook taking four for 23 and Jamie Moorhouse four for 34 on his return from injury, backed by some excellent catches.

Outlane couldn’t match that intensity in the field, spilling a couple of catches.

Callum Cook fell early on but there was no stopping James Lawton, who powered to 79 not out with 18 boundaries, ably supported by Matty Smith (29 no) in an unbroken 109 run stand for the second wicket.

Bradshaw’s fine start to the season continued with a 114 run win over visitors Mount with a fine all-round team performance. Seven batsmen scored over 20 runs and three bowlers shared the Mount wickets.

It was all a mystery to Old Town as third placed Clayton’s Mitesh Mistry took eight for 42 to roll them over for 99.

The visitors stuttered to victory, needing nine batsman to reach the 100 runs required as Mohammed Khan took four for 36.

Upper Hopton’s John Stanger (5-59) and Sam Kent (5-70) shared the spoils in a 119-run home victory over Greetland, Iiaq Jamal (56) was the only batsman to put up any real resistance.

Leymoor were indebted to a fine knock of 69 not out by Jacob Giles and Mark Coulson’s four as they won on the short journey to Birchencliffe.

Second Division: *Birchencliffe 123 (Coulson 5-40), Leymoor 125-4 (Giles 69*); pts 2-12. *Bradshaw 237-8 (Spendelow 56*), Mount 123 (I Rawat 42): pts 12-3. Upper Hopton 255-8 (Manning 67, Wild 52), *Greetland 136 (Jamal 56, Stanger 5-59, Kent 5-70): pts 12-3. *Luddenden Foot 247-8 (L Broadbent 150, J Hothersall 50), Low Moor HT 249-3 (S Osborne 99, B Osborne 99 no): pts 3-11. *Old Town 99 (Mistry 8-42), Clayton 100-7 (Khan 4-36): pts 3-12. *Outlane 109 (Brook 60, Cook 4-23, Moorhouse 4-34), Illingworth St Mary’s 112-1 (Lawton 79*): pts 1-12.