TWO more schools from the Bradford area have qualified for the West Area final of the Drax Cup – the country's biggest cricket competition for under-nines.

Eldwick won the Aire Valley School Sports Partnership event, while Lidget Green emerged from the West Bradford School Sports Partnership qualifier at Bradford Park Avenue.

During a closely-fought series of pool matches involving six Aire Valley schools, four teams – Eldwick, Myrtle Park, East Morton and Saltaire – all had the chance to qualify with a win in their final game.

Eldwick eventually topped the table on run difference over Myrtle Park with a winning margin of four for total runs scored against runs conceded (94-90) after the two tied on 12 points. East Morton just pipped Saltaire for third place.

The West Bradford finale, which involved Copthorne, Farnham, Allerton and Lidget Green, was equally tense.

Despite confident batting from all the teams, Lidget Green and Copthorne won all but one of their games to tie on points and, although Copthorne achieved a narrow victory over Lidget Green (106-103), a total runs score of 399 secured first place for Lidget Green to Copthorne's 358.

Eldwick and Lidget Green will now meet other qualifying schools from across West Yorkshire in the area final on Thursday, June 18 at Pudsey St Lawrence Cricket Club.

The West area winners will compete on finals day at Headingley on Friday, 10 July prior to Yorkshire Vikings' NatWest T20 Blast match against Durham Jets.