CLECKHEATON all-rounder Nick Walker is having a big impact on the All Rounder Cricket Bradford Premier League title race.

He followed up his match-winning 5-42 against Premier Division leaders New Farnley by impressing with bat and ball as party-poopers Cleckheaton defeated title-chasing Pudsey St Lawrence by 81 runs.

Walker hammered an unbeaten 98 from 69 balls with six sixes and nine fours as Cleckheaton made 274-6 after being put in and followed up with 4-51 as St Lawrence were dismissed for 193.

But this was no one-man show. Impressive overseas player Tayyab Tahir took his tally of runs to 668 with a knock of 63 while opener Nick Lindley made 37 in another fine Cleckheaton display.

And John Wood, so often St Lawrence’s nemesis throughout his career, took 3-40 as St Lawrence lost wickets trying to keep up with the required run rate. James Smith (44), Charlie Best (33) and Mark Robertshaw (33) were all dismissed before they could go on and play the big innings their side needed.

Farsley leap-frogged St Lawrence into second place after they eased to a six-wicket win over Townville at Red Lane.

The visitors were left regretting their decision to bat first as they were bowled out for 126 with spinner James Logan returning the impressive figures of 6-12. Only opener Jonathan Booth (36) made any impression.

Farsley lost four wickets reaching their target due to the work of Harry Clewett (3-19). Dan Hodgson was 39 not out when victory was achieved.

Leader New Farnley bounced back to winning ways with an emphatic nine-wicket win over inconsistent Woodlands and now have a nine-point lead.

Paceman Andrew Brewster (4-25) soon had the visitors ruing their decision to bat first as they were reduced to 68-9.

Only a last-wicket stand of 55 between Muhammad Bilal (32no) and Kez Ahmed (21) enabled them to post a score of 123.

New Farnley showed no ill-effects from their 56-run defeat at Cleckheaton in their previous game as they cruised to their target. Wicketkeeper Steve Bullen led the way with an unbeaten 61, while fellow opener Simon Lambert made 37.

Bottom team East Bierley made defending champions Hanging Heaton fight hard for their four-wicket win.

Half-centuries from Awaise Hussain (53), Danish Hussain (52) and Shabbir Rashid (50no) helped East Bierley to 240-6. Paceman Tom Chippendale (4-61) was again the best of the Hanging Heaton bowlers.

The real drama came when Hanging Heaton were quickly reduced to 36-4. Opener Nick Connolly (80) and James Keen (47) added 115 for the fifth wicket to stabilise the innings, but when both fell in quick succession, East Bierley sensed a second win of the season might be on the cards.

Their hopes were extinguished by big-hitting David Stiff. He made an unbeaten 62 from 44 balls, hitting five sixes and four fours, to see his side home.

Scholes climbed out of the bottom two at the expense of Bradford & Bingley, who they defeated by 37 runs.

Opener Shoukat Ali (79) and Sam Gatenby (68) shared a second-wicket stand of 110 after Chris Dennison (42) had helped give the innings a sound start

Scholes posted a total of 256-8 which proved out of Bradford & Bingley’s reach despite the efforts of Ed Brown. After taking 5-43 earlier, Brown finished unbeaten on 103 and was joined in an unbroken last-wicket stand of 92 by Jonathan Wilmshurst (9no).

Once again, the key bowler for Scholes was Yasir Ali. He 5-42 to ensure that his side moved four points ahead of Bradford & Bingley.

Fifth-placed Methley remain just 25 points behind leaders New Farnley after being made to work hard for their 13-run win over Lightcliffe.

Opener Marcus Walmsley (50), Adam Patel (40) and Grant Soames (37) helped them to post a challenging 245-8.

Lightcliffe looked as if they might chase down the home side’s score until opener Alex Stead was run out for 73. Jonathan Wilson (46no) and Suleman Khan (33) couldn’t quite maintain the required rate as their side finished on 232-6.