Wood leads from front in Cleckheaton’s best display

The JCT600 Bradford League Division One champions, seeking a hat-trick of titles, began the Bank Holiday weekend in style with a four-wicket win over their local rivals.

Openers Duncan Snell (82) and Sam Frankland (41) gave Woodlands a good with a 93-run opening wicket stand before overseas leg spinner Tanzeel Altaf (4-58) and paceman Curtis Free (3-38) helped restrict them to 200 all out.

Wood led from the front with a decisive innings of 65, after opener Andrew Gorrod made 36 at the top of the innings, which enabled Cleckheaton to seal victory with 6.1 overs to spare.

Former Cleckheaton spinner Chris Brice took 4-72 for Woodlands but couldn’t spare his side from defeat.

Hanging Heaton recorded a 56-run win over Lightcliffe as they also began the weekend well.

Yorkshire academy all-rounder Josh Shaw marked his return to the Hanging Heaton side after injury with an unbeaten 75.

Shaw hit eight fours and three sixes in his innings and shared an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 134 with Ben Elvidge (63no)as Hanging Heaton reached 223-4.

Captain Alex Stead led the way for Lightcliffe with a fine innings of 90 but he lacked support and when he was caught by Gary Fellows off the bowling of David Stiff it signalled the end of the visitors challenge as they were dismissed for 167.

Stiff finished with 4-55, while Dan Busfield (3-23) and Ian Philliskirk (3-41) were also among the wickets.

East Bierley slipped to a 19-run defeat to Undercliffe, who moved out of the bottom two.

Gulsheraz Ahmed (50), Farakh Hussain (35) and Michael Kelsey (35) helped Undercliffe to 199 despite the efforts of Haziq Tareen (3-61).

Captain Dan Shuffe (36) and Awais Ejaz (35) led Bierley’s reply but they finished on 180-9 as spinner Amir Hussain (4-46) kept them in check.