THORNTON have got back to winning ways after their recent hiccups in the Spenser Wilson Halifax League.

They maintained to maintain their four-point lead over Booth at the top after taking maximum points from the short trip to Shelf Northowram Hedge Top.

Only Ben Birkill (57) topped a half-century as Thornton batsmen came and went, with three getting out in the twenties against the bowling of Razwan Saghir (5-89).

Seeking 218 for victory, Hedge Top were in deeper trouble, somehow contriving to lose five top-order batsmen for only 17 runs after which the innings petered out some 48 runs short, Joe Blencowe finishing with 4-17.

At Sowerby St Peter's, the hosts' innings was held together by Aiden Green (79) and Ben Watkins (60) as they set a target of 228 for visitors Oxenhope, with Liam Dyson taking 4-49.

The Keighley side met the challenge head-on, or at least Joseph Ousey (102) did, as he combined with Duncan Tetley (47) to rescue the innings when the top four batsmen disappeared for only 27.

Despite Martin Schofield taking 6-64, the visitors scraped a win in the last over.

Should you be a betting person, then perhaps risk a small wager that one of next week's Premier Division matches, just like the proverbial three buses in a row, will result in a tie!

Following the previous week's first in this division since 2015, at the Warley v Sowerby St Peter's match, the second came a week later as the two bottom clubs, SBCI and Bridgeholme, shared 434 runs at The Astleys.

SBCI posted 217-6, with Lewis Firth (50), Sam Hinchcliffe (46) and Chris Dalby (44) in the runs.

The steady pace of Bridgeholme's reply always looked like it would produce a tight finish, with Nazakat Ali (57) leading the way.

Tight it proved as six runs were required off the last ball to tie, and up stepped No 9 Ikram Mahmood (24no) to produce a telling blow that he will remember for a long time.

Booth's winning run continued as hosts Mytholmroyd were hit by the double whammy of Richard Laycock (6-28) and Usman Saghir (4-32) in a 23.1-over blast that ended on 68 all out.

The only surprise was that Booth lost three wickets in scoring the winning runs.

Warley kept up the pressure on the top two with an emphatic win at Southowram where, batting first, their top five accumulated 304-4 as Chris Atkinson (78), Greg Keywood (69), James Whitworth (56no) and Chris Marsh (56) all hit half-centuries.

After tea, first-change bowler Keywood (6-40) then completed another excellent all-round performance as only Dean Crossley managed to join the half-century list, with the Rams losing by 143 runs.

While Triangle remain in fourth, they are certainly very much in the title race, being only eight points adrift of the leaders.

Another high score at postage-size Grassy Bottom – this time 389-7 – produced a comfortable maximum.

Christian Silkstone (136) was top of the pile but Adam Stocks will be having a few regrets as he joined the 'Nervous Nineties Club' by being bowled for 96.

Then Copley hardly got into their proper stride, with five batsmen losing their wickets in the 20s or 30s as they fell by 210 runs, with the ten wickets being shared by six bowlers.

In the first reversal of fixtures in the First Division, all of the matches finished in the same manner as the previous week, with victories for Bradshaw, Clayton, Great Horton Park Chapel and Illingworth St Mary's.

Stones produced their best batting display for some time at Clayton as they chased 342 to win but, despite the efforts of several batsmen and a superb knock from Kevin O'Rourke (80), they still lost by 95 runs.

Previously Sam Wilson (85no) and Jason Gelder (85) had combined in a 117-run sixth-wicket partnership, while mention must be made of the sterling efforts of Stones' Scott Sutcliffe for his stint of 22-2-130-6.

Park Chapel retain second spot after four of their top six batsmen made significant contributions in a 246-6 total at home to Queensbury, with half-centuries coming from Adam Beesley (55no) and Chris Brown (54).

The struggling visitors were never likely to get near the target, and with Dominic Anderson taking 5-20, they were rolled over for only 90.

Illingworth's lead at the top remains nine points as they despatched Sowerby Bridge in a much lower-scoring affair than in their recent meeting.

Daniel Murfet was again the thorn in the Bridge side, but on this occasion with the ball, recording 11.5-3-19-6 as the innings closed on 134.

The hosts did not find it easy in reply, however, and were 106-6 at one stage, but wrapped the match up in the 33rd over, with Stephen Cook's 47 proving vital.

Bradshaw, visiting Blackley, accounted for their hosts much easier than on home soil as they won by 73 runs. Bradshaw scored 227-6, with Chris Pell (77) the pick of the batsmen.

In reply, Blackley were 68-7 at one stage but Jonathan Stenson (43) staged a partial recovery but the target was too great as the shutters went up for a 45-over score of 154-8.

The shock of the day in the Second Division came as hosts Leymoor handed leaders Luddendenfoot their first defeat of the season.

Mount took advantage of the slip to join them on top spot with 75 points, cruising to a win at Low Moor HT. Another all-round team effort came from the Batley visitors, with seven batsmen scoring ten or more runs with, not for the first time, Mahmad Kayat (72) top-scoring.

The home team relied far too much on the batting of Adam Forbes (48) and James Overend (60no), with the latter surely batting too low in the order, running out of partners as Mount won by 75 runs.

There were big wins for home teams as Outlane won by 193 runs and Upper Hopton by 207.

Chris Brook (139) was the scourge of the Cullingworth bowlers at Outlane, as was opener Lee Mellor, but the latter will still be kicking himself for being bowled on 98.

Despite the bowling efforts of Jacob Terry (5-73), a score of 313-9 was far too much for the visitors, who succumbed for 120, with Steve Welch again top-scoring with 42 as Ben Dickens registered 5-28.

Hosting Greetland and batting first, Upper Hopton, playing their last nomadic match at next season's returning club, Augustinians, proved there is nothing wrong with the track at the Woodhouse Ground.

They hammered 323-6, with the main contributions coming from the middle order as Jack Stephenson (73no), Matthew Haigh (72) and Joe Manning (62) enjoyed the afternoon.

Greetland were again thankful for the efforts of Scott Whelen (57) in staving off a bigger defeat, but five batsmen failed to trouble the scorers.

Leymoor once again put together a sound team effort of 232-7 in batting first, with seven batsmen reaching double figures, led by Dean Dyson (42).

The shock came after tea when Mark Coulson (5-39) and Pierce Walker (5-57) demolished the leaders in just 16.4 overs as they lost for the first time this season.

The team batting contributions were even better for Old Town, at home ro Bradley & Colnebridge, as all but one of the ten batsmen required topped 10 runs as they posted 265-9, led by Sagher Shaheen 941).

The Boston Hill outfit leapfrogged their visitors in the table after dismissing the Huddersfield team for 134, with Ali Asghar taking 5-54.