THE LEADING two in the Bradford Premier League top flight title race were both beaten as the second half of the season got off to a dramatic start.

Champions Pudsey St Lawrence were defeated for only the second time this season as they went down by three wickets at New Farnley, while Hanging Heaton lost a nail-biting encounter to third-placed Farsley by eight runs.

It means that St Lawrence (177) have a 22-point lead over Hanging Heaton with improving Farsley a further 14 adrift.

Former Yorkshire player James Middlebrook made 48 and ex-Nottinghamshire player Nick Walker (33) as New Farnley passed St Lawrence's total of 152-9 in a match reduced to 38 overs per side after a rain delayed start.

Oliver Ashford (3-41) was the most-successful St Lawrence bowler as they failed to prevent the home side from avenging the defeat they suffered on the opening day of the season.

St Lawrence had found batting tricky and the bulk of their runs came from another rousing innings from skipper James Smith (52) and a determined 42 from Tom Hudson, who was promoted to number four. Mark Lawson (3-34) and Mohammed Bilal (3-47) bowled well for New Farnley, who are now fourth in the table.

The Red Lane clash between Farsley and Hanging Heaton certainly lived up to its billing as the game of the day. The 42 overs match proved to be an absolute cracker.

Farsley showed their batting prowess as South African James Price (75) got them away to a good start before Ryan Cooper took centre stage with an unbeaten 85 which contained a six and ten fours.

Farsley's total of 233-8 presented Hanging Heaton with a real challenge and they suffered a huge blow when the league's top run-scorer this season, Gary Fellows, was trapped lbw off the second ball of the innings by James Wainman for a duck.

Joe Fraser (42) and Nick Connolly (30) stabilised the innings before wicketkeeper Ismail Dawood took charge. As long as he was at the wicket Hanging Heaton looked to be the likely winners.

The target had been reduced to 19 from 15 balls when Dawood (73) was the ninth man out, a victim of Adam Ahmed, who produced a decisive spell of 4-14. With 14 needed from the last over, Hanging Heaton managed five before Tom Chippendale was run out to seal victory for the hosts.

Two teams who were glad to end their poor runs of recent results were Cleckheaton, four-wicket winners at Lightcliffe, and Morley, who pulled off a 26-run victory at East Bierley.

Cleckheaton, who had not won in the five previous league games, passed Lightcliffe's 183-3 in their 30-over contest with two overs to spare. Wicketkeeper Mally Nicholson made an unbeaten 68, hitting three sixes and seven fours, as he and Mohammad Zaman (37) were assisted by a quick 23 off 12 balls from James Lee to see their side home.

Lightcliffe's innings had been dominated by their skipper Alex Stead. The opener made an unbeaten 89 and was joined in an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 86 by Jonathan Wilson (40no).

Morley ended their six-game run without a win by recovering from 28-6 to defeat fellow strugglers East Bierley by 26 runs.

Last season's Division Two champions struggled against the new-ball pairing of Matthew Lumb (5-33) and Awaiz Ejaz (3-24), but scrambled to 121 thanks to Richard Jubb (32), Luke Heinemann (28).

The value of those contributions became clear as East Bierley faltered against the spin bowling of Kashif Naveed (4-15) and Dave Nebard (4-27) and were dismissed for 96.

The result wasn't enough to lift Morley out of the bottom two but they are now just two points behind Pudsey Congs, who suffered a 12-run defeat against Bradford & Bingley, and East Bierley.

Overseas player Noman Ali played a big part in Bradford & Bingley's win. He top scored with 48 in Bradford & Bingley's 183-8 and took 3-44 with his left-arm spin as Congs were bowled out for 171.

Charlie Best (32) and Matthew Walker (30) were the other main contributors for Bradford & Bingley while off spinner Josh Wheatley (3-44) was again the pick of the Congs bowlers.

Congs lost wickets at key times as they chased 184 to win in 38 overs. Opener Callum Geldart (34) and Wheatley (37no) were the top scorers as Ali and Walker (3-55) wrapped up a welcome win for their side.

Scholes are now 35 points adrift at the bottom after a six-wicket defeat at Woodlands. They found the going tough when they were asked to bat first in a game reduced to 26 overs. Only skipper James Stansfield (38) had any answer to the bowling of young paceman Elliot Richardson (4-34) and left-arm spinner Chris Brice (3-30) as his side struggled to

99-9.

Woodlands were set on their way to victory by opener Sam Frankland (44), who was joined in a first-wicket stand of 64 by Logan Weston before both became victims of Stansfield (3-25).