Six-hitting Sarfraz Ahmed came to Woodlands’ rescue as the defending Bradford League champions maintained their 24-point lead at the top of Division One after beating close rivals Pudsey St Lawrence by 87 runs.

Woodlands were struggling at 127-7 when Sarfraz arrived but – not for the first time – he quickly transformed their precarious position by striking six sixes and a four in an undefeated 44 as he added 77 with skipper Pieter Swanepoel to enable them to reach 205-9.

It proved to be a winning score as the normally free-scoring St Lawrence were bowled out for 117, with Swanepoel taking 3-30.

Saints, who began the day in joint-second place, dropped to fourth as a result of this defeat to leave Cleckheaton as Woodlands’ nearest challengers following their 47-run win at next-to-bottom Saltaire.

Ian Nicholson (66) top-scored in a 207-7 total. Then pace bowlers John Wood (3-17) and James Lee (3-61) each took three wickets as Saltaire were bowled out for 160.

Manningham Mills are third, 11 points behind Cleckheaton, after an 80-run win at Lightcliffe. Skipper Adam Patel top-scored with 102 not out as Mills posted the day’s highest score of 264-5. Patel built on a good start given by openers Adal Islam (41) and Farhan Khan (40), while overseas player Noman Ali added a useful 35.

Opener Charlie Roebuck hit 82 but only Suleman Khan (33) gave him much support as Lightcliffe were bowled out for 184, with Zeeshan Qasim taking 4-44 and Ali 3-48.

Left-arm spinner Glenn Roberts was the match-winner as fourth-placed Pudsey Congs beat bottom club Morley at home by 22 runs to move within a point of neighbours St Lawrence.

Morley must have had hopes of winning after bowling out Congs for 150 (Kashif Naveed 5-50).

Morley made a sound start, openers Matthew Baxter and James McNichol putting on 42 for the first wicket, but wickets fell steadily after that and they were bowled out for 128, with Roberts taking 6-32.

Hanging Heaton gained a 57-run win at East Bierley, with skipper Mark Lawson making an invaluable 69 as the visitors recovered from 58-4 to reach 214 (Yassir Abbas 5-35).

Former Somerset bowler David Stiff then took 5-42 as Bierley were bowled out for 157, only Andrew Rennison (42) and Tabbi Bhatti (40) providing much resistance. Former Yorkshire batsman Ashley Metcalfe became only the second player to reach 16,000 runs in the league as he helped Division Two leaders Farsley to beat Gomersal by 37 runs. Metcalfe scored the three runs he needed to reach the landmark in an innings of 13 as Farsley returned to winning form after losing to Undercliffe the previous week.

Mark Harrison was top scorer with 108 not out as Farsley totalled 220-7 before restricting Gomersal to 183-9, Harrison completing a fine all-round performance with 4-50.

Second-placed Spen Victoria beat Bowling Old Lane by nine wickets, Peter Jackson (70) and Matthew West (66no) sharing a first-wicket stand of 130 after Old Lane were dismissed for 166.

New Farnley recovered from two successive defeats with a nine-wicket win over Windhill after bowling them out for a mere 60.