Bradford League: Woodlands are edged out by leaders in top of table clash

Woodlands missed out in a close finish in their top of the table clash with New Farnley in the Premier Division of the Gordon Rigg Bradford League.
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An agonising three-run defeat left Woodlands 17 points behind leaders New Farnley, but they were mighty close to the victory they craved.

Chasing Farnley’s 267-4, the reigning champions looked set for victory when Brad Schmulian (77) and Tim Jackson (57) were together, adding 131 for the second wicket.

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But Australian paceman Liam Guthrie (4-80) and left arm spinner Gurman Randhawa (4-76) turned the game in this year’s early pacesetters’ favour.

Tim Jackson hit 57 in vain for Woodlands against New Farnley.Tim Jackson hit 57 in vain for Woodlands against New Farnley.
Tim Jackson hit 57 in vain for Woodlands against New Farnley.

Although Muhammad Bilal made a typically brisk 30 and Tom Clee hit 29 Woodlands fell just short in a game that went right down to the final over, finishing on 264-9.

Skipper Lee Goddard (82) had top scored for Farnley with none of the Woodlands bowlers able to make much impact.

Centuries from Tom Lindsay and Nick Lindley helped Hanging Heaton to a five-wicket win over bottom of the table Batley.

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Chasing Batley’s 289-6, which had also included an unbeaten century from Kasir Maroof, Heaton were given a good start through Lindley and Callum Geldart (28) as they reached 64-1.

But a mini collapse saw them reduced to 109-4 before Lindley and Lindsay came together for a match-clinching fifth wicket stand.

Lindley was first to reach three figures, but was out after reaching 109, including 10 fours and two sixes in his innings.

He put on 163 with Lindsay, however, with the latter going on to finish not out on 106 as Heaton reached their target with five wickets and seven balls to spare.

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Although Saqib Talib and Muhammad Hafeez took two wickets each for Batley they were effectively undone by some tremendous hitting by Lindsay who batted for just 53 balls, smashing seven sixes and 11 fours.

Batley must have fancied their chances of recording their first league win of the season at the break after making 289-6 from their 50 overs, with Maroof hitting 10 fours in a knock of 102 not out.

Aqeel Mukhtar also hit 50, Nikash Khan 29, Yasir Ali 26 and Mohammed Bhoola 26 while Mustafa Rafique took 4-95.

Even a defiant century from skipper Mally Nicholson could not save Cleckheaton from a 56-run defeat at Farsley.

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He hit two sixes and 10 fours in a knock of 102, but the only support of note came from Ethan Lee (44) as Cleckheaton were restricted to 213-9 in response to Farsley’s 269-6.

Spinner Joe Pocklington (5-53) did much of the damage after Jonathan Read (86) had led their batting. Andrew Deegan (3-60) was the pick of the Cleckheaton bowlers, but his team remain second from bottom with just one league win so far.

Australian Noah McFadyen hit his third century of the season as he guided Keighley to a six-wicket win over Gomersal in Division One.

Three sixes and 14 fours flowed from his bat in his innings of 121 as Gomersal’s total of 275-5 was overhauled with 21 balls to spare.

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Skipper Richard Wear (55) was Gomersal’s top scorer while Jonathan Boynton hit 53no, Andy Gorrod 45, Graham Hilton 33 and Lwandiswa Zuma 33no.

Birstall slipped from second to fifth place after suffering a nine-wicket defeat to Undercliffe.

Ollie Hardaker hit 101 and combined with Danish Hussain (72no) in an opening stand of 186 as Birstall’s total of 191-6 was passed in just 28 overs.

Skipper Nick Kaye (76) was the top scorer for Birstall while Matthew Dyson hit 29.

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East Bierley went down by 42 runs to third-placed Pudsey Congs.

Despite the efforts of Matthew West (42) and Danny Cross (42), Bierley were dismissed for 167 in reply to their opponents’ 209 all out.

They had done a decent job in the field, led by bowlers Nisar Ahmad (3-41) and Cross (3-49).