Woodlands hold nerve to maintain title push

Jordon Laban was in fine form as Woodlands recorded Bradford League and Heavy Woollen Cup victories last weekend. Picture: Steve Riding

The visitors began the day third in the table and knew victory at Oakenshaw would ignite their own title bid.

Heaton recovered from a shaky start, which saw them reduced to 39-3, to post an impressive 259-7 thanks largely to a 136-run fifth-wicket stand between Gary Fellows and Ishy Dawood.

Fellows followed up his 192 the previous week with 106 including nine fours and six sixes, while Dawood made 76 from just 77 balls.

David Stiff further boosted the Heaton innings, cracking four fours and three sixes on his way to 37 not out from just 15 balls.

Woodlands lost Grant Soames with a knee injury and were behind the run-rate for most of the innings with Logan Weston (51) and Scott Richardson (45) anchoring their batting.

Jordon Laban struck 37 not out, while some big hitting from Sarfraz Ahmed saw him make 38 from 17 balls as Woodlands edged home by three wickets with seven balls to spare.

Cleckheaton moved above Heaton into third place and are now within 24 points off St Lawrence following victory over relegation threatened Farsley, who posted a reasonable score of 234-8.

Yorkshire’s Dan Hodgson (70) and Greg Pickles (71) led the way for Farsley after opener Jack Holland had made 30 at the top of the innings.

Overseas player Tanzeel Altaf picked up 4-57

Cleckheaton secured a three-wicket win with 12 overs to spare as Tim Jackson (63) and captain John Wood (66) led the way with support from Ian Nicholson (40) and Altaf, who steered them over the line with 27 not out, despite James Thorp claiming 5-11 on his Farsley first team debut.

St Lawrence are six points clear of Woodlands following an emphatic victory over bottom side Saltaire.

Lawrence posted 244-8 and dismissed Saltaire for 140 to claim maximum points.

East Bierley are just four points above the relegation zone after slipping to a six-wicket defeat against New Farnley.

Yorkshire’s James Middlebrook claimed 5-36 and Mark Lawson 4-27 as Bierley were dismissed for a modest 142, as only Liam Walsh offered resistance with 33.

Farnley knocked off the runs for the loss of four wickets with former East Bierley player Lee Goddard leading the way with a fine 69 not out.