NEW Farnley are the new leaders of the Bradford Premier League top flight after their comfortable eight-wicket win over Farsley.

They secured a maximum 20 points and lead by one from Pudsey St Lawrence with Hanging Heaton a further point back.

Hanging Heaton were made to fight all the way for their two-wicket success against Scholes, while St Lawrence brushed aside Townville by seven wickets.

The scene is now set for a Bank Holiday Monday cracker at Bennett Lane when Hanging Heaton and New Farnley go head to head.

New Farnley were impressive as they defeated a Farsley side that had inflicted a first defeat of the season on champions Hanging Heaton in their previous game.

An opening stand of 106 between Simon Lambert (90no) and Martin Andersson (52) enabled them to chase down Farsley’s 191 all out with 20 balls to spare.

Lambert’s innings contained a six and 11 fours and followed on from his match-winning performance in the previous match against Townville.

Farsley lost their way after Yorkshire’s James Wainman had given them a good start with 46.

Once he departed, a victim of debut-making former Yorkshire and England paceman Ajmal Shahzad (3-62), only Dan Hodgson (34) and Adam Slater (30) looked likely to break the grip left-arm spinner Luke Jarvis (4-32) placed on proceedings.

Watching New Farnley's latest win was former Yorkshire and England left-armer Ryan Sidebottom, who is also being linked with the club.

Former Yorkshire wicketkeeper Ishmail Dawood was the Hanging Heaton hero with an unbeaten 57 as they squeezed past the Scholes total of 196-9.

He stood firm after Alex Kennedy (3-15) caused Hanging Heaton a few anxious moments.

Ben Kohler-Cadmore (45) was the pick of the top order which found the going far from easy.

Opener Kasir Maroof (75) impressed when Scholes batted first as David Stiff took 3-38.

A third-wicket stand of 123 between Jordan Thompson (62) and Mark Robertshaw (50no) helped Pudsey St Lawrence cruise to a seven-wicket win over Townville.

Yorkshire second-teamer Thompson hit two sixes and 11 fours as St Lawrence overhauled the Townville total of 147 in just 23.3 overs.

Earlier, Townville never fully recovered from being reduced to 48-5.

Three bowlers shared the wickets for St Lawrence as Richie Lamb (4-48), Chris Marsden (3-24) and Charlie Parker (3-47) shone.

St Lawrence will be hoping to maintain their title challenge when they visit Red Lane to take on Farsley in their second Bank Holiday fixture.

Woodlands are just six points behind the leaders after their six-wicket win over Bradford & Bingley which was set up by a spell of 5-44 from left-arm spinner Chris Brice.

Bradford & Bingley were bowled out for 182, a total that owed much to another fine innings from their young batsman Kyme Tahirkeli. He followed up his unbeaten 142 in last week’s win over Cleckheaton with a determined 84.

Woodlands were guided to their target by a fourth-wicket stand of 105 between Cieran Garner (55no) and wicketkeeper Greg Finn (52no).

They will be at home on Monday to a Lightcliffe side who pushed Cleckheaton into the bottom two after defeating them by seven wickets.

Cleckheaton, who were without Yorkshire batsman Tom Kohler-Cadmore, were bowled out for 120 after winning the toss and batting at Moorend. Yassir Abbas (3-39) and Suleman Khan (3-11) did much of the damage.

Opener Josh Wheatley (37) and Alex Stead (36) ensured that Lightcliffe had few alarms easing to their modest victory target.

Cleckheaton will be hoping for a boost when they entertain Scholes in their second game of the weekend.

Methley were given a scare before Adam Patel steadied their nerves and guided them to a two-wicket win over the East Bierley side he captained last season.

Patel followed up the unbeaten 66 he made on his debut at Woodlands last week with 85 not out as his side just managed to chase down East Bierley’s 185 after Ismail Ahmed (5-63) had posed problems.

Nobody was able to pose a telling contribution for East Bierley as new overseas fast bowler Waqas Ahmed took 6-48.