IT’S all change at the top of The All Rounder Cricket Bradford Premier League after a dramatic round of Bank Holiday Monday fixtures.

Pudsey St Lawrence are the new leaders after their skipper Chris Marsden hit an unbeaten 45 that enabled them to scrape home by two wickets at Farsley.

Their victory saw them displace New Farnley, who lost by two wickets to champions Hanging Heaton, who are now second, two points behind St Lawrence.

Saints were thankful to Marsden for seeing them home after spinners James Logan (4-52) and Adam Ahmed (3-34) caused a middle-order slump which threatened to scupper their chances of overhauling Farsley’s 160.

The highlight of the Farsley innings was a fifth-wicket stand of 116 between James Pickles (59) and Mark Harrison (52) after they had found themselves 30-4. Spinners Marsden (3-37) and Tom Hudson (3-41) were the key bowlers.

New Farnley’s stay at the top proved brief and they may well rue the fact that key players like skipper Lee Goddard and opener Martin Andersson were missing at Bennett Lane.

After electing to bat they were reduced to 81-9. Only a defiant last-wicket stand of 52 between Joe Bedford (40) and Luke Jarvis (18no) saw them to 133. Left-armer Josh Holling was the best of the bowlers with 3-27.

Hanging Heaton looked to be cruising when Joe Fraser (44) and Gary Fellows (38) added 78 for the second wicket, but left-armer Alex Lilley had other ideas.

The former Beckwithshaw player took 7-57 and threatened to turn the game on its head, but Hanging Heaton edged home.

Woodlands remain fourth despite an 85-run defeat at home to Lightcliffe, who are just one point behind them after their second win of the weekend.

The Lightcliffe total of 224-9 owed much to the efforts of Suleman Khan (47), Matthew Baxter (43) and Alex Stead (40) against a bowling attack in which spinners Chris Brice (4-43) and Kez Ahmed (4-72) did much of the work.

The Woodlands batting was disappointing and only youngsters Liam Collins and Jack McGahan, with 31 each, made an impression as they were dismissed for 139. Opening bowler Yassir Abbas impressed with 4-32.

Bradford & Bingley batsman Jonathan Whitehead hammered his second century of the season to help his side to a crushing 206-run win over East Bierley.

Since making a ton on his debut against Methley, Whitehead had found runs hard to come by – until today.

He hit four sixes and 17 fours in his 130 which was backed up by Ed Brown’s 43 in a total of 285-9.

Bierley’s struggles continued as they were bowled out for 79 with promising young spinner Bradley Reeve talking 5-20. They are already 30 points adrift at the bottom after just six games.

Cleckheaton’s overseas player Tayyab Tahir is proving a fine acquisition. He already has two centuries to his name and followed up with 84 as they recorded a welcome five-wicket win over Scholes – a result which pushes their opponents into the bottom two.

Tahir hit four sixes and 11 fours as he helped his side recover from 26-3 to pass Scholes’ total of 162.

Opener Shoukat Ali was top scorer for Scholes with 61 while the wickets were shared by Jonathan Whiteoak (4-51), John Wood (3-26) and Josh Turwell (3-59).

Townville put an end to their recent sequence of defeats with a 147-run win over Methley.

Skipper Jack Booth played a key role, scoring 52 in their 238 and taking 6-14 as Methley were bowled out for 91.

Harry Clewett (58) and Brayden Clark (38) were the other top contributors for Townville while Methley’s new overseas paceman impressed on a disappointing day for his weakened team with 5-56.