Division Two side Keighley scored a thrilling one-wicket win over top-flight Woodlands at Farsley yesterday to lift the Sovereign Health Care Priestley Shield for the first time since 1983.

Keighley seemed down and out in the JCT600 Bradford League second-team knockout decider when Robert Medcalf dismissed Alex Towler and Dave Hall in successive balls to reduce them to 167-9 with 6.1 overs to go.

Woodlands’ score of 206-8 looked to be out of reach but last-wicket pair Richard Wood and Hammy Shahzad had other ideas.

Shahzad was quick to show his intentions in the 46th over when he hit Medcalf’s first two balls for a six and a four.

All of a sudden Keighley’s supporters started to believe that victory was a possibility and, with Wood using all his considerable experience, he and Shahzad seized the initiative with some sensible cricket.

The target was gradually whittled down to just six from the final over. Elliott Richardson’s first ball was a dot but singles came from the next three before Shahzad levelled the scores with a two.

With all of the fielders in close to prevent another single, Shahzad clipped the final ball of the game through the leg-side for four to spark wild scenes of celebrations.

Wood, who was named man of the match by former Yorkshire and England captain Ray Illingworth, finished 35 not out, while Shahzad ended unbeaten on 29 from just 18 balls.

Their unbeaten partnership of 43 had turned the game on its head and brought an absorbing match to a thrilling climax.

Until Wood and Shahzad’s intervention, the Keighley innings looked to be petering out. Two breaks for rain did not help their cause but they will not worry about that now.

Opener Paul Wilkinson (38) and Luke Chapman (34) made useful contributions but departed when their side needed to up the tempo.

Medcalf (4-50) and Rahat Shah (3-36) checked Keighley’s progress until the wily Wood and the uninhibited Shahzad delivered their devastating counter-punch.

The Woodlands players looked shell-shocked as they left the field, with nobody more crestfallen than the admirable Medcalf.

In addition to his four wickets, he had earlier rescued Woodlands’ innings with a well-crafted half-century when it was in danger of falling apart.

He hit a six and eight fours in a fine knock of 54 which enabled his side to recover from 108-5. He was well supported by Elliott Milnes (25) in a sensible sixth-wicket stand of 71.

Until Medcalf and Milnes came together, Woodlands looked in danger of squandering the good work of skipper Cieran Garner and Adam Wood.

Coming together after opener Liam Brearley had been bowled by Shahzad for nought, they seized the initiative.

Garner struck 11 fours in his knock of 54, while Wood made 34 before Steve Reape (3-32) sparked a collapse.

Medcalf and Milnes led a spirited recovery but their final total looked below-par on a perfect wicket – and so it proved, even if the subsequent rain slowed the outfield and affected run-scoring in Keighley’s reply.

Keighley did not let the two short rain breaks disturb their concentration and the victory was a triumph for persistence.

The dramatic finish crowned what was a memorable day. Farsley proved to be an excellent stage and the players of both sides produced a contest that was a fitting advert for Bradford League cricket.