REIGNING champions Jer Lane's lead over Booth at the top of the PREMIER DIVISION has been halved to two points with two rounds of Foster's Halifax League fixtures left.

Jer were stretched at home by a Blackley side determined to stay clear of the bottom two.

Lane managed just one bowling point in the first half of the contest as Blackley posted 271-4 – but the leaders were unruffled and won with five wickets and three overs to spare, Wayne Cotton (70) and Simon Collins (68) being their top scorers.

A Booth side lacking a handful of regulars rose to the task at home to third-placed Thornton, who were dismissed for a modest 169 (Mick Shanks 55), Booth then recovering from 89-5 to triumph by four wickets.

Queensbury are favourites for the second relegation spot behind Southowram after an eight-run defeat at Copley.

The hosts made 206-4 as 'Bury used spinners Amjad Ali (3-103) and Girdev Singh (1-87) throughout the 45 overs. The visitors then fell just short on 198, despite a fighting 46 from No 9 Russ Irving.

Meanwhile, Triangle's Carl Fletcher produced what must rank as one of the best performances in Halifax League history, hitting 143 not out and taking 8-32 – including a hat-trick – as home side SBCI were beaten by 56 runs.

The battle for second spot behind champions Sowerby St Peter's in DIVISION ONE intensified when Oxenhope beat visitors Northowram Hedge Top by 81 runs to close the gap between them to six points.

Tom (59no) and Josh Tetley (49) helped Oxenhope to 212, Jazdev Jheeta (4-47) and Stuart Jackson (3-2) hustling out Hedge Top for 134.

All now rests on next week's final matches with both away to the bottom two, Bradshaw (v Oxenhope) and Luddenden Foot, who have slight chances of avoiding the drop.

There was an end-of-term feel to things at Low Moor, where Bridgeholme won the mid-table battle by 29 runs. Shahzaib Waheed (4-42), Andrew Croasdeell (53) and Nick Wood (52) did best for Low Moor against opponents who used 11 bowlers.

DIVISION TWO champions elect Great Horton Park Chapel were beaten by 142 runs at Old Crossleyans, who are now in the box seat to go up with them after promotion rivals Outlane and Clayton both lost.

Crocs made 267-8 (Matthew Jordan 3-33) before restricting Park Chapel to 125-9, while Clayton lost to Denholme Clough.

Asif Mohammed (53) and opener Imran Aslam (41) put on 109 for Clough's second wicket in their 190, Damien Walker taking 4-45 and Paul Gelder 3-42 before Clayton were dismissed for 121. John Jonas made 41 as Tanweer Aslam took a match-winning 7-37.

Shelf, despite 67 by Craig Green and 43 by Babar Nawaz Malik, lost three wickets at 124 and another three at 146 on their way to a six-wicket defeat at bottom club Greetland.

And 53 by Adie Powis plus 35 from Graham Rankin was not enough for Cullingworth, who lost by three wickets at home to Upper Hopton.