SALTAIRE have put their promotion from JCT600 Bradford League Division Two down to a team effort.

After just a year away from the top flight, they secured an immediate return with a 104-run win at improving Hartshead Moor.

Former Saltaire skipper Ijaz Khan, who is due to have a shoulder operation this autumn, said: "It is down to the lads coming together as we had a lot of new players at the start of the season.

"The team spirit has been excellent and everyone has made a contribution.

"We lost our opening bowler (Awais Ejaz) a few weeks into the season but the lads who came up from the second team on a rota basis – Adeel Nazir and Humare Amjad – to replace him never moaned or complained about being in the first team one week and the second team the next week.

"A lot of credit must also go to first-team manager Simon Hicks for his ability to pluck players from other leagues. He is phenomenal."

Saltaire are now 15 points behind leaders Undercliffe but have only two games left to Undercliffe's three.

There was a late start to Saltaire's match at Highmoor Lane due to a damp pitch but once the match got under way they were quickly into their stride.

Overseas player Israr Ullah again demonstrated his importance to the team with 68 in their 187 total, while Rashid Ayub made 32 as the wickets were shared by young seam bowlers Adil Ladak (5-26) and George Saville (5-59).

Hartshead Moor never looked at ease batting and were dismissed for just 83, with Adeel Ashraf taking 5-18.

Undercliffe's batsmen found the going tough at Bowling Old Lane and were dismissed for a disappointing 116, with only overseas player Nawaz Sardar (33) making an impression as Arsalan Ijaz took 4-16.

The Old Lane batsmen also found things difficult as Zeeshan Qasim (4-30) and spinner Amir Hussain (3-51) made them fight for their runs. But the match-winning innings was played by Ayyaz Akram, who struck two sixes and eight fours in his 50.

Baildon are third after a comfortable six-wicket win at Brighouse. Left-arm spinner Mushtaq Ahmed took 5-23 and Waqas Maqsood 3-27 as Brighouse were bowled out for 126.

The bulk of their runs came from Mohammad Khurshid (52) and Fakhar Hussain (31) but James Ford (62) and Maqsood (31no) ensured there were no slip-ups as victory was secured.

Keighley's poor run of form continued as Great Horton recorded a five-wicket win.

Naeem Khan has certainly proved a great acquisition for them and the former Woodlands player took 4-49 as Keighley were restricted to 160-9, before following up with an unbeaten 77 as his side secured victory with 9.3 overs to spare.