Yeadon'S young opener James Todd smashed his highest ever individual first team score when he was unbeaten with 76 in the seven wickets victory over East Bierley on Saturday.

Having lost most of their team Yeadon knew they were going to struggle this season but their young skipper Grant Soames has instilled a great spirit in his side and they are battling for every point.

Saturday's win was a great booster for them and was fully deserved. Yeadon were grateful their second team were without a game drafting in Andrew Pickering and young wicketkeeper Jake Wray. To add to their woes John Roper - enjoying his return after initially deciding to retire - pulled up with a calf muscle injury in his first over.

Soames then took over the mantle and bowled the remaining 24 overs at the football field end and he gained his reward with a return of four for 58.

Bierley looked to be running away with things at 83 for one but then Soames and James Postill (3-53 off 17 overs) reduced Bierley to 139 for nine. A defiant last wicket stand by Neil Robinson (14 no) and Robert Ellis (16 no) took them to a final score of 175 for nine.

Some thought Yeadon had let the game slip from their grasp but they had not counted on young Todd having his finest hour in first team cricket so far.

The 17-year-old Menston St Mary's schoolboy hit one six and eight fours in a very mature knock.

He and Harvey Anderson (20) put on 69 for the first wicket. Gulsheraz Ahmed and Todd then ran well to add a further 27 before Ahmed was lbw to Robinson for eight.

A telling partnership between Todd and Dave Russell, unable to keep wicket due to a broken thumb, put Yeadon on the victory trail.

Russell eventually fell for 36 after the pair had added 59 for the third wicket.

Skipper Soames then joined Todd and it was fitting that Soames, who has put so much effort into captaining this side, was there at the close as his side gained a seven wickets win with 4.5 overs remaining.

Todd fully deserved the ovation he received on leaving the field having hit a four for the winning runs.

On Saturday Yeadon visit Mirfield and will be hoping to have Roper fit as James Postill is unavailable.

Ex-Yeadon skipper Craig Thornton made 67 as Baildon totalled 277 for nine against Hanging Heaton who made 158. Another former skipper among the runs was Scarborough's Damon Gormley with 48.