Matthew Duce whacked a sizzling century as Pudsey St Lawrence reached the final of the Dyson Energy Services Twenty20 Cup for the third time.

The hard-hitting wicketkeeper made 122 off just 40 balls as Saints beat Hanging Heaton by 54 runs in a high-scoring encounter.

Duce, who was a member of the Bradford & Bingley side beaten by St Lawrence in the 2009 and 2010 finals, peppered the boundary with nine sixes and ten fours.

He was joined in a second-wicket stand of 148 by Callam Goldthorp, who made 66, and with James Smith hitting six sixes in making 45 off 14 balls, St Lawrence totalled 248-6.

All of the bowlers were made to suffer, with John Carruthers’ four overs going for 58 runs.

Hanging Heaton were always up against it but went down fighting as they reached 194-9, with Twenty20 specialist Joe Fraser striking six sixes and seven fours in a fine knock of 82.

St Lawrence will now meet the winners of the second semi-final between Lightcliffe and Pudsey Congs under the Bradford & Bingley floodlights on Thursday, August 15.

Alex Stead, who was a key figure in St Lawrence’s two cup final triumphs, is leading Lightcliffe’s bid to win the cup for the first time.

He made an unbeaten 62 as his side defeated Undercliffe by eight wickets at Wakefield Road.

Stead was joined in an undefeated third-wicket stand of 113 by Jonathan Wilson (49no) after his side had lost two early wickets when replying to Undercliffe’s 138-7.

Skipper Ben Heritage had dominated the Undercliffe innings with 75 as left-arm spinner Suleman Khan took 3-21.

Holders Pudsey Congs, who will visit Lightcliffe on Sunday, July 21, overpowered Baildon to reach the last four.

Congs triumphed by 116 runs after Callum Geldart (61) and skipper Gareth Phillips (34) had launched their innings of 220-2 with a stand of 101.

That was followed by an unbroken third-wicket alliance of 118 between Ashley Slater (61no) and Nick Lindley (51no).

Slater, who recently made a double century and a century in successive innings for Congs’ second team, made his runs off just 29 balls.

Babar Butt, who took five victims behind the stumps in the first-round win at New Farnley, showed off his bowling skills this time by taking 4-13 as Baildon were dismissed for 104, Richie Lamb taking 3-36.