Last ball drama as Cleckheaton end tied up in Bradford League game with Bradford & Bingley
Young opening bowler Bradley Sylvester held his nerve to take a wicket with the last ball of the match as Cleckheaton ended their run of six defeats in a dramatic tie with Bradford & Bingley in the Bradford League’s Premier Division.
Sylvester finished with 4-41 to help his side stay off the bottom of the table in claiming 15 points from a thrilling match that swung one way then the other.
A third wicket stand of 101 between Jacob Slator (67) and Louren Steenkamp (55) looked to have put Bradford & Bingley in a good position to overhaul Cleckheaton’s 242-5 total, but James Stansfield’s men never gave up.
Billy Whitford (41) and Ed Brown (30) took Bradford & Bingley closer to victory, but Cleckheaton kept going and forced the tie when last man Reece Cockshott was caught by Stansfield to give Sylvester his fourth wicket off the very last delivery.
Cleckheaton’s innings had been led by opener Waleed Akhtar, who hit four sixes and six fours in a knock of 68, while there were also half centuries from Muhammed Akmal (59no) and Yousaf Baber (50) and a handy 27 by Ethan Lee.
Gomersal maintained their challenge at the top of Division Two as openers Liam Fletcher (94) and Richard Wear (55) paved the way for the third-placed side’s eight-wicket win over Keighley.
Their efforts were backed up by Shabir Rashid (29no) and Andrew Robertson (14no) as the visitors’ total of 215 was surpassed with almost eight overs to spare.
Fifth-placed Scholes beat Hunslet Nelson by 34 runs to knock them off top spot.
Good bowling by Mahleb Mahmood (4-27) and Hamza Khan (4-20) paved the way as Scholes successfully defended their score of 104.
Despite posting a 219 score Heckmondwike & Carlinghow remain winless and at the bottom of Division Two.
Ovais Hussain (45) and Sohail Butt (39) top scored, but opponents Crossflatts overhauled their total thanks to Jack Brooksbank (65) and Awais Khan (40).
Wahab Hussain took 3-56 and made 37 as Crossbank Methodists recorded a four-wicket win at Spen Victoria in Division Three.
Tahzeeb Arshad (3-20) combined with Hussain to help their side dismiss Spen for 172. Gareth Lee (38) and Andrew Robinson (37) were the main contributors.
Crossbank were guided towards their victory target by Ayaaz Ali (37) and Hussain.
Bottom team Liversedge went down by six wickets to Windhill & Daisy Hill after making 185-7 with Matthew Gibson hitting an unbeaten 99.