Bradford Cricket League: Premier defeats for Cleckheaton, Batley, Woodlands and Hanging Heaton

Bankfoot went in first and posted a 231 total with 92 from their new overseas player Zia Ul Haq Parwani, from Afghanistan.

Mohammad Ahmed (3-19) and Iain Wardlaw (3-54) did most to restrict them.

Three Cleckheaton batsmen scored half centuries as they made a good fist of chasing down the target.

Opener Kris Ward hit 55, overseas player Yusaf Baber 54 and former Yorkshire all-rounder Richard Pyrah 53no, but they crucially fell behind the run rate and ended on 219-5.

Batley ran into a good display from Yorkshire all-rounder Matthew Waite as they suffered a 100-run defeat to early season pacesetters Methley.

Waite made 94 as Methley scored 268 with support coming from James Wainman (44) and Josh Sullivan (43) after Batley’s new ball bowlers Naveed Arif (4-70) and Umar Farooq (3-51) had posed early problems.

Batley found it tough going in their reply with only Kasir Maroof (56) making much of an impression as they were all out for 168. Waite, Charlie McMurran, Wainman and Tom Chippendale all took two wickets.

Champions Woodlands suffered their first defeat when they went down by five runs in a close encounter with Bradford & Bingley.

Another Yorkshire player played the starring role in the match with England U19 batsman Will Luxton batting throughout the Bradford & Bingley innings to finish with 115no.

With support from skipper Ed Brown (52) and Kyme Tahirkheli (46) they were able to set a challenging target in reaching 266-8.

Woodlands set about their big chase well and looked on course to win when captain Brad Schmulian (84) and opener Sam Frankland (76) were together to put on 161 for the second wicket.

Schmulian cracked 10 fours while Frankland hit two sixes and eight fours, but from 191-1 Woodlands lost wickets trying to maintain the asking rate and ended on 261-9 with Yassir Abbas taking 5-53.

Pudsey St Lawrence’s new recruit Luke Patel led the way with 66 as they chased down Hanging Heaton’s score of 189 to win by four wickets.

Al-Mustafa Rafique took 3-42 and Josh Wheatley 2-32, but Pudsey got home with 16 balls to spare.

Opener Nick Lindley (56) and skipper Ben Kohler-Cadmore (40) put on 82 in a third-wicket stand in Hanging Heaton’s innings, but the decision to put them in paid off.

Once Lindley and Kohler-Cadmore were dismissed in quick succession, spinners Patel (3-26) and Archie Scott (3-55) got to work.

Rafique did put up some resistance with a knock of 28 from 29 balls, but Heaton’s score was below par and they have now lost their opening two matches in the Premier.

CRICKET IMAGES: Premier action as Batley take on Methley in Bradford League

Opener Matthew West hit a superb unbeaten 101 to lead East Bierley to a nine-wicket win over Wrenthorpe in Division One.

West struck four sixes and nine fours and was joined in an opening wicket stand of 134 by Sam Gatenby (56) as Wrenthorpe’s score of 168-8 was passed with ease.

Spinner Danny Cross (5-61) and Ben Walter (3-40) helped restrict Wrenthorpe’s scoring.

Birstall looked well placed to record a victory in their first game of 2022 when they had Jer Lane 21-3 in reply to their 206 total, but lost by two wickets.

Although Ryan Gray took 5-38, Jer Lane were able to recover and reach their target in the 44th over. Birstall will have been disappointed not to post a bigger total after half centuries from Brad Lay (60) and Andrew Robertson (52) were backed up by 35 from Matt Dyson, but they lost their last six wickets for 26.

Gomersal were all out for 123 as they lost by 66 runs to Undercliffe with only Andy Gorrod (46) showing much resistance.

Defeat was tough on Gomersal bowler Rob Warriner, who took 6-67 as Undercliffe were dismissed for 189. Jonathan Boynton also claimed 3-40.

An unbroken seventh wicket stand of 121 between Karl Hewitt (89no) and Sam Noden (57no) enabled Sandal to recover from 83-6 to chase down a Hartshead Moor score of 198 and secure a four-wicket win in their Division Two match.

To see their side home they had to stave off the threat of Hartshead Moor skipper Joe Bowman (5-65).

Abhishek Paradkar top scored 72 as Moor made 198. Hasnat Yusuf chipped in with 42.

Hopton Mills produced a great batting effort to beat Hunslet Nelson by two wickets.

Although Australian opener Kurt Chalker hit 139 for Nelson to help them post a big 290 score it was Mills celebrating victory as an exciting run chase was led by Qasar Hamed, who smashed 16 fours and three sixes in an 109-ball knock of 116. Sama Ullah Khan (41no) then led them home

Usman Maqsood (4-61) took the bowling honours for Mills.

Muhammad Ullah struck an unbeaten 62 and Corey Roebuck (39) as Spen Victoria registered their first win in Division Three by chasing down an East Leeds score of 209 to triumph by five wickets. Paolo Girardi took 5-66 for Spen.

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Christian Jackson continued his good start to the season for Scholes with 68 as his side built a total of 242-8 against Rodley.

Shahid Rehman (42no) and Hamza Khan (31) provided the support before the latter took 4-27 and Jackson 3-29 as Rodley were dismissed for 135.

Liversedge edged home by two wickets against Heckmondwike and Carlinghow after restricting them to 203-9.

Owais Hussain (69) top scored for Heckmondwike and Carlinghow while bowlers Bryson Nicholls (4-46) and Wajid Hussain (3-35) posed the main threat.

Nicholls followed up his bowling exploits by scoring 45 as Liversedge edged home despite good bowling by Wasim Khaliq (3-41) and Paul Cooper (3-29).

Crossbank Methodists went down by seven wickets to Adwalton after being bowled out for 152 with Nasir Mahmood (40) and Asif Sheraz (31) top scoring.