IT WAS a case of batsmen making hay while the sun shines in the latest round of Dales Council League fixtures.

Nowhere was this more highlighted than in Division A, where leaders Halifax Direct made use of the ideal batting conditions against struggling Baildon.

Home side Halifax rattled up the league's top score to date in reaching a huge 375-6, with Ijaz Matloob (96), Naz Khan (71no) and Ansar Mahmood (58no) in particular running amok against the Baildon bowling attack.

Robert Griffiths managed 58 in response but the rock-bottom visitors were all out for just 109 as Sajid Mahmood picked up 4-42.

Second-placed New Wortley (206-9) continued their challenge at the top after seeing off mid-table visitors Savile Stars by the narrow margin of nine runs.

An exciting finish saw the visitors from Dewsbury come up just short at 197, despite the best efforts of Wasim Patel (55).

Leeds Sikh, who are third, survived an even closer encounter on their visit to fifth-placed Pudsey St Lawrence.

Sikh posted 162 (Keith Marsden 4-17) batting first and, although Sam McAvoy made 64, Saints were finally dismissed an agonising two runs short.

Shipley Providence, in fourth position, slipped to a surprise 26-run home defeat at the hands of lowly Cookridge (153-7) after being all out for 127.

The fixture between Farnley Hill (248) and Tong Park Esholt (125) proved to be a real stand-out day for David Farrell.

The Farnley Hill all-rounder first hit 51, backed up by Chris Sowden (50) and Tony Leighton (45).

He then returned 7-54 with the ball to clinch a 123-run verdict for the Tong village-based side.

The section concluded with Pudsey Congs (110-5) returning to winning ways with a five-wicket success at Adel (107 – Harsham Ahmed 5-10).

The Division B derby clash between runaway leaders Bradford Moor and second-placed Thornbury ended with a first league defeat of the season for the top dogs.

Thornbury, batting first, made a useful 212 (Saad Abbas 55, Haroon Tariq 54, Kamran Ali 45, Abdul Raqeeb 5-44) and in reply the normally free-scoring Moor side were all out for 182.

The 30-run win still left the in-form Thornbury side 43 points adrift of their opponents in the table.

Division C leaders Crompark were in fine form with the bat, slamming 331 (Winston Charles 112, Ali Malik 96) at second-bottom Baildon B, who made just 150 (Bill Bryan 51) in reply.