Woodlands triumph at champions St Lawrence to maintain pressure at top

Early morning rain saw the match reduced to 37 overs a side but once underway, spinner Chris Brice (3-38) and Scott Richardson (3-40) got to work in keeping the St Lawrence scoring rate in check.

Opener Adam Waite (62) was the only Lawrence batsman to look settled as they were restricted to a total of 145-8.

Woodlands lost captain Tim Jackson without a run on the board and Jamie Pickering also went cheaply, but order was restored by Sam Frankland (57) and Greg Finn (50no) as Woodlands eased to their target with 5.5 overs to spare.

It was Pudsey’s fifth defeat of the season and they are now 43 points behind Farsley, who they meet at Red Lane on Saturday, knowing defeat will all but end any lingering hopes they have of a third straight title.

Callum Geldart struck his first century for Hanging Heaton and helped them to a 46-run win over New Farnley.

Heaton lost captain Gary Fellows to the first ball of the match, caught at slip by Dave Cummings off the bowling of Andrew Brewster, with Nick Connolly also out cheaply.

Richard Foster made 31 before Geldart went on to make 100 from 130 balls including four sixes and nine fours.

James Keen struck 28 and David Stiff 21 not out from 15 balls as Heaton posted a challenging 243-7.

Spinner James Middlebrook (3-42) impressed for Farnley.

New Farnley had knocked Heaton out of the Priestley Cup but although a number of batsmen got starts no-one was able to play a match winning innings.

Middlebrook (34) and Lee Goddard (30) were the top scorers but the visitors were bowled out for 197.

Left-arm spinner Muhammad Rameez again impressed with 4-33, while paceman Tom Chippendale took 3-61 as Heaton maintain the challenge on Farsley.