Cleckheaton CC suffer first setback as they run into Batley batting star Kasir Maroof again

Early season pacesetters Cleckheaton suffered the first setback in their bid to bounce straight back to the league’s top flight with a DLS determined seven-wicket defeat to their neighbours.

And as in the clubs’ meeting in the Premier last year it was Maroof who played the key role. He hit a century as Batley won a dramatic run chase to win at Moorend in 2022 and this time he was on hand to settle another thriller.

He smashed a six and a four from the final two balls from Yousaf Baber as Batley reached their revised target of 163 in 20 overs to win by seven wickets.

Maroof finished 50 not out and was aided by Umar Farooq who smashed 23 from seven balls while opener Nikash Khan made 30.

Defeat was hard on Baber who hit nine sixes and six fours in a superb knock of 114 that helped Cleckheaton make 289-7 in their 50 overs. Opener Waleed Akhtar also hit 74.

Hartshead Moor took over at the top of Division Two after they made short work of beating Hopton Mills by seven wickets.

Moin Hussain (4-29) and Leo Monteit (4-19) paved the way for the victory as Mills were bowled out for 78.

Josh Marsden (27no) and former Yorkshire star Andrew Gale (26no) then steered Hartshead Moor to their victory target as they beat the rain as well as their local opponents.

Moor are one point ahead of Liversedge who have also made a good start to their Division Two campaign and inflicted a first defeat on their Heckmondwike & Carlinghow neighbours who were promoted with them last season.

Victory looked a long shot when they were bowled out for 125 as Adam Clarke top scored with 21 and Wajid Hussain took 4-40. But the Liversedge bowlers responded well with Mounam Ejaz taking 6-19 and Quadratullah Azizi 3-43 as Heckmondwike were shot out for 95.

Skipper Muhammad Shahnawaz was Heckmondwike’s top scorer with 27.

Leaders Spen Victoria were the only winners in Division Three as they defeated Gildersome & Farnley Hill by 88 runs.

James Russell secured their victory with 6-46 as the visitors were dismissed for 116 when pursuing a DLS target of 205 from 42 overs.

Peter Jackson (64) and Corey Roebuck (46) were the main contributors to the Spen Victoria score of 221-8 from 50 overs.

James Robson hit an unbeaten 100 for Scholes, but it proved in vain as their game against Great Preston could not be completed.

He was joined in a stand of 117 for the third wicket by Joe Duffy (55) as they helped Scholes to reach 250-4 from their 50 overs. Christian Jackson also hit 28.

Great Preston were set a revised target of 227 in 40 overs, but rain brought an end to play after they reached 60-1 after 11 overs.