TOP two Halifax Direct and New Wortley took advantage of beating the weather to enhance their Dales Council League title chances with victories over Division A strugglers Cookridge and Baildon respectively.

The fixture programme was severely depleted due to the heavy rain that fell in the Bradford district – but conditions to the east of the city did allow some play.

Leaders Halifax Direct were at second-bottom Cookridge and, in a reduced-overs fixture, the home side were restricted to just 83-9 (Dom Wyatt 27no) as Mohammed Iqbal returned 5-11 and Sajid Mahmood 3-26.

Naz Khan hit an unbeaten 33 in reply asHalifax Direct won by six wickets to maintain their four-point lead at the summit.

Second-placed New Wortley hosted basement boys Baildon at Roundhay Park in Leeds and did not have things all their own way, despite bowling out their opponents for just 101 (Farhan Saeed 4-20, Safiullah Khan 3-21).

The hosts reached their target with three wickets in hand thanks to the efforts of Safiullah Khan, who made 45.

The only other game to start in the top section occurred at Adel against Savile Stars.

The Dewsbury-based side visitors posted 143-8 (Nazam Arif 50) but the response lasted just 18 overs before the rain intervened, with Adel having reached a promising position of 77-2).

The conditions prevented any play at all in Division B, while just one fixture took place in Division C as second-placed Thornbury B entertained rock-bottom Cookridge C.

The visitors advanced to a reasonable 159-6 courtesy of Summit Jain with an excellent 93.

But the home side wasted no time in reaching their target as openers Ashad Rasheed (76) and Nasir Mahroof (65) completed a ten- wicket romp, which reduced the gap behind leaders Crompark to nine points.