Narrow win lifts Lane hopes

They were the only team in the Premier Division to snatch a victory between the showers, reviving their hopes of a fourth successive title.

Mick Hustler’s side, who had slipped off the pace in recent weeks, are now only six points behind leaders Booth after a two run home win over second-placed Warley.

They were indebted to opening batsman Wayne Cotton for a fine 91 in a total of 174 all out in 34 overs, Graham Kinsey and Liam Senior each picking up three wickets.

The visitors, with 28 overs at their disposal, were just two runs short chasing an adjusted home total of 117 runs. Nolan Bottomley top scored with 41.

Jer Lane picked up nine points while Warley got four, the same as everyone else in the Premier.

Chris Dennison is regarded as one of the most destructive batsmen in the league and he showed why with a knock of 141 not out against Booth.

He hit 17 fours and six sixes, taking an early liking to Richard Laycock’s bowling and then teaming up with Craig Taylor (34 no) to good effect after Copley had slipped to 151 for seven.

Copley finished on 235 for seven off 42 overs and Booth were 89 for three in the 18th over, with the Laycock brothers at the crease, when play was ended.

Northowram looked to have the upper hand at home to Mytholmroyd when play was halted.

Tom Clee’s six for 45 had dismissed the visitors for 138 with Ahmed Taufeeq getting 68 of them. Northowram were 26 for one when play was ended.

The biggest hard luck story was at Sowerby St Peter’s where the home side were one boundary short of victory against derby rivals Sowerby Bridge when play was ended.

Bridge made 163 for nine off 25 overs, with half-centuries from openers Tim Helliwell and James Taylor and 41 from James Holdsworth.

Sowerby were 160 for three off 22.5 overs when Hayden Bruce fell for 48 and the players came off. Opener Ryan Brook was 91 not out.

Queensbury and Southowram each picked up 12 points in the middle section.

Queensbury pulled off the perfect express win at home to Great Horton Park Chapel.

Amjad Ali (5-17) and Gustav Singh (4-44) dismissed Chapel for 74. Singh (32 no) and opening partner Jamie Priestley (29 no) then knocked off the runs inside 13 overs.

Queensbury are only three points off the top after Oxenhope were thwarted by the weather at 27 for two in reply to visitors Old Crossleyans’ meagre 76.

A solid top order batting effort led by Dean Crossley (57) helped Southowram to 213 for seven off 40 overs at home to Low Moor.

The visitors were all out for 130 in reply after Bradley Williamson (34) and Robert Dowling (30) had offered resistance down the order.

Stones made 149 all out at Bridgeholme, who were 119 for six in reply when play was halted.

Luddenden Foot were the fourth and final first team winners of the day in the Halifax League.

They dismissed Division Two’s bottom club Greetland for 90 and then James Yates hit a quick fire 43 not out, after Christian Soulsby had taken the three wickets to fall, to seal victory.

The game at Bradshaw was brewing up nicely before the weather had the final say with the hosts 119 for three against Upper Hopton.

The visitors had posted a useful 245 for two with 118 from Ian Wightman and 82 not out from Andrew Gallagher.

Another player to score a century was Outlane’s Lee Mellor. He had blasted 125 not out and his side needed only another 35 runs to overhaul Shelf’s 214 for six, when the weather had the decisive say.

The matches at Cullingworth (v Old Town) and Denholme Clough (v Clayton) were completely washed out.

Premier Division: *Copley 235-7 (Dennison 141*, Taylor 34, Ayub 5-87). Booth 89-3 – rsp: pts 4-4. *Jer Lane 174 adj 117 (Cotton 91, Kinsey 3-30, Senior 3-31), Warley 115-4 (Bottomey 41): pts 9-4. Mytholmroyd 138 (Taufeeq 68, Clee 6-45, Saghir 3-21), *Northowram HT 26-1 – rsp: pts 4-4. *SBCI 188-7, Thornton 83-3 – rsp: pts 4-4. Sowerby Bridge 163-9 (Helliwell 55, Taylor 50, Holdsworth 41, Greenwood 4-50), *Sowerby St Peter’s 160-3 (Brook 91*, Bruce 48) – rsp: pts 4-4. *Triangle 187-9, Blackley 52-2 – rsp: pts 4-4.

Division One: Stones 149 (Heptinstall 35, Khan 4-34), *Bridgeholme 119-6 – rsp: pts 4-4. Old Crossleyans 76, *Oxenhope 27-2 - rsp: pts 4-4. Great Horton PC 74 (Ali 5-17, Singh 4-44), *Queensbury 75-0 (Singh 32*): pts 0-12. *Southowram 213-7 (Crossley 57, Veal 49, Moody 45, Wilkinson 32), Low Moor HT 130 (B Williamson 34, Dowling 30, Belfield 3-25, Jowett 3-53): pts 12-3.

Division Two: Upper Hopton 245-2 (Wightman 118, Gallagher 82*), *Bradshaw 119-3 (Eckersley39, Stanger 3-30) - rsp: pts 4-4. *Cullingworth v Old Town – no play: pts 4-4. *Denholme Clough v Clayton - no play: pts 4-4. *Greetland 90 (Hayat 32, Richardson 3-19, Allen 3-31),Luddenden Foot 93-3 (Yates 43*, Soulsby 3-39): pts 0-12. Shelf 214-6 (Marshall 59, Sugden 52*),*Outlane 180-2 (Mellor 125*) - rsp: pts 4-4.

Points - Premier Division: Booth 111, Warley 109, Jer Lane 105, Triangle 99, SBCI 92, Sowerby SP 90, Copley 83, Thornton 81, Mytholmroyd 74, Sowerby Bridge 74, Northowram HT 69, Blackley 54.

Division One: Oxenhope 109, Queensbury 106, Bridgeholme 97, Great Horton PC 91, Southowram 87, Old Crossleyans 85, Stones 50, Low Moor 46.

Division Two: Denholme 111, Cullingworth 105, Bradshaw 98, Shelf 92, Luddenden Foot 91, Outlane 87, Clayton 86, Upper Hopton 72, Old Town 34, Greetland 27.