NEW overseas player Qasim Ali was the star of Keighley's second successive win.

The 19-year-old, who comes from the Sahiwaal Club in Pakistan who produced Test stars Waqar Younis and Mushtaq Ahmed, led the way with a sparkling inning of 36.

The side had earlier suffered a blow when promising young batsman Matthew Beckett was called up by the Yorkshire Academy team just three hours before start of play - a decision which clearly upset Keighley officials.

Captain Steve Reape was also absent at a wedding, forcing the Lawkholmers to take the field with a depleted team.

Again steady bowling by George Batty (4-29), ably supported by Rob McFarlane, Gharib Razak and Dale Towler restricted Morley to a modest 135-9.

Ali and Alan Broadley made sure the Keighley innings got off to a rapid start and despite a middle order collapse, Wood and Razak saw Keighley home with five overs to spare.

Keighley 2nds gained another four points against Morley on Saturday to keep in contention at the top, but followed up with a defeat against former First Division side Idle on Monday.

After losing two early wickets on Saturday Lee Gordon (59-3) and Nasser Kamal (50) steadied the ship. Andy Smith (36no) and Andy Hirst (19no) took them through to 162-5.

Keighley bowlers kept it tight with six maidens in the first 10 overs. Arshed took 4-39 and Allan Birkett 3-67, but they could not break a stubborn late partnership which gave Morley a share of the points.

Idle piled up the runs on Monday with captain P Wiseman (104) doing most of the damage before being dismissed in the last over.

Idle had the better bowling conditions and took wickets at regular intervals, leaving the Keighley side playing for a losing draw and one point. Nasser Kamal continued his good form with the bat, scoring 37 before being caught behind.

They just lost the battle with Keighley all out for 147 with a little more than one over left.

Keighley are now looking to reverse the result when they meet in the Shield on Sunday.

n This weekend sees another double-header at Lawkholme with Yeadon the visitors on Saturday, followed by attractive First Division side Spen Victoria in the second round of the cup on Sunday.

Division Two

P W L 4 1 Pts

Cleckheaton 7 5 0 1 1 35

Brighouse 7 5 0 1 1 29

Drighlington 7 3 0 2 2 28

Hartshead Moor 7 3 0 1 3 25

Idle 7 4 2 0 1 25

Bankfoot 7 3 1 1 2 24

Morley 7 1 3 3 0 18

Keighley 7 2 3 0 2 14

Manningham Mills 7 2 3 0 2 14

Lidget Green 7 2 4 0 1 13

Yeadon 7 0 2 2 3 11

Ben Rhydding 7 1 3 0 3 9

Salts 7 0 4 1 2 6

Gt Horton 7 0 4 0 3 3

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.