Sam's strikes stun Bradshaw

Bridge were up against it, having slipped from 64 for one to 77 for five on a wicket which was still slow, in spite of yesterday’s excellent weather.

Chris Whitehill (37) helped to stead the ship with Mellor (44) before James Yates (42 no), a recruit from Luddenden Foot, helped lift the total to 202-8.

Not content with being the top scorer in the first half, Mellor then took six for 22 to leave the home batting in tatters at 37 for seven.

However, asthma sufferer Mellor was withdrawn from the attack before the final delivery of his 10th over.

That made life easier for the hosts and Simon Collins (61 no) and skipper Dean Cotton (33) earned a couple of batting points for their side at 147-8 and limited Bridge to 11 points.

Former Bridgeholme player Oliver Challis hit 93 not out to help Queensbury to a six-wicket home win over Stones.

Kevin O’Rourke made 55 but Stones produced a rather laboured effort with the bat to reach 154-5, a total the hosts passed with 10 overs to spare.

Illingworth St Mary’s pair Stephen Cook (97) and Daniel Murfet (92) both fell in the nervous nineties at Clayton but did enough to set up their team for a 114-run win.

They took advantage of a solid start provided by Callum Cook (33) and Jamie Lawton (48) to send the total climbing to 320-6.

Clayton were unable to mount a challenge but Sam Wilson hit 65 not out down the order to extract three batting points for his side at 206-8.

Richard Hassall’s 59 was all important as Great Horton Park Chapel reached a target of 155 to beat visitors Blackley by two wickets.

There were a few low totals in Division Two, notably at Cullingworth where the hosts must have been fancying their chances after dismissing Bradley and Colnebridge for 72, only to be bowled out for 44 runs themselves.

Phil Poole (4-20) and Dave Robinson (5-48) dismissed the visitors in 22 overs with Iqrar Hussain’s 25 the top score.

However, Cullingworth’s batsmen had no answer to Andrew Mitchell (7-14) as their reply lasted less than 20 overs and seven players failed to trouble the scorers.

The low-scoring continued at Mount where Greetland succumbed for 56 runs, Fakir Layer taking 4-6 as only Paul Quarmby (18) reached double figures.

The home team knocked off the runs in less than 10 overs.

Leymoor were bowled out for 105 on a trip to Low Moor HT, who were springing into action after two washouts,

James Overend (46) and Graham Scarborough (32) sealed a five-wicket win.

Upper Hopton had Matthew Haigh and Matt Broadbent to thank for turning around their side’s fortunes at home to Outlane.

The visitors were hot favourites when the Mirfield side slid to 91-7 but Haigh (60) and Broadbent (56 no) showed the earlier batsmen how it should be done, lifting the total to 233-9.

A deflated Outlane were 103 all out in reply, Jack Stephenson taking 4-25.

There were more runs in the Calder Valley derby. Old Town must have been encouraged by a total of 214 but beating it proved no problem to Luddenden Foot, who won by six wickets.

First Division: Sowerby Bridge 202-8 (Mellor 44, Yates 42*), *Bradshaw 147-8 (Collins 61*, Mellor 6-22): pts 11-4. Illingworth St Mary’s 320-6 (Cook 97, Murfet 92, Lawton 48), *Clayton 206-8 (Wilson 65*): pts 11-4. Blackley 154, *Great Horton PC 155-8 (Hassall 59): pts 4-12. Stones 154-5 (O’Rourke 55), *Queensbury 155-4 (Challis 93*): pts 3-10.

Points: Bradshaw 28, Great Horton PC 26, Illingworth SM 25, Sowerby Bridge 23, Clayton 20, Queensbury 14, Blackley 9, Stones 5.

Second Division: Bradley & Colnebridge 72 (Robinson 5-48, Poole 4-20) *Cullingworth 44 (A Mitchell 7-14): pts 12-3, Leymoor 105, *Low Moor HT 109-5 (Overend 46): pts 2-12. Greetland 56 (Lahir 4-6), *Mount 59-1: pts 0-12. *Old Town 214, Luddenden Foot 215-4: pts 4-12. *Upper Hopton 233-9 (Haigh 60, Broadbent 56*, Lawton 4-39), Outlane 103 (Stephenson 4-25): pts 12-3.

Points: Luddenden Foot 26, Bradley and Colnebridge 26, Old Town 17, Mount 16, Upper Hopton 16. Low Moor 16, Cullingworth 8, Leymoor 6, Outlane 5, Greetland 4.