IT was another dismal day for Yeadon in terms of results but after their confidence boosting Priestley Cup win over Saltaire their batsmen had obviously benefitted.

Batting first at Woodlands on Saturday Yeadon made an excellent start through club coach Harvey Anderson and youngster James Todd.

This pair put on 91 for the first wicket with Anderson making 66 before being caught by Tim Orrell off the bowling of Sarfraz Ahmed.

Todd, who was to make a century the next day for the League's Joe Lumb side, made an excellent 43 before being stumped by Nick Rushworth off the bowling of Chris Brice.

However, when this pair departed things started to go wrong with only skipper Grant Soames able to fend off the Woodlands bowling.

He made an excellent 53 before being bowled by Brice but A Ahmed, Jamie Kennaway, Jon Carey and wicketkeeper David Russell all struggled against the bowling of Brice and Ahmed.

Yeadon eventually finished on a useful 185 for seven but with a depleted bowling attack they did not hold out much hope against the likes of the redoubtable Murphy Walwyn.

Woodlands made a solid start through Russell Murray (20) and R Pyrah (34) - a wicket apiece for Soames and John Roper.

Soames picked up a couple more wickets with his slow bowling but in effect Woodlands were coasting it with Nick Rushworth making an unbeaten 70 to steer them to a six wickets win.

Walwyn chipped in with an unbeaten 31 and this pair shared an unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 89.

Soames battled hard with three for 53 off his 16 over stint and the 'retired' Roper had a 14 over spell which brought one for 52.

This was Woodlands' first win of the season and it left Yeadon languishing at the foot of the table.

Yeadon however need not get too despondent yet as mixed results and mixed weather have kept the points margin at a minimum.

Yeadon are still hoping that their Indian overseas player will put in an appearance and that Chris Henry will return from his world trip to give their bowling attack a boost.

With 12 players unavailable Yeadon Seconds again had to scrape the barrel for a team.

Club secretary John Hudson turned out along with Cricket Chairman Les Wood to boost the side's average age.

It shows the standard Bradford League Second Teams Second Division cricket has fallen to when understrength teams can still win.

Many of this season's matches have seen teams, not just Yeadon, turn out short and indeed Windhill did not fulfil their game against Yeadon due to a shortage of players.

On Saturday Yeadon's ten men dismissed Morley for 104 with teenager Richard Wood taking five for 36.

After filling in as a bowler last week the veteran Les Wood took up the wicketkeeping gloves this week.

Yeadon soon lost their recognised batsmen Darren Machell, skipper Andrew Pickering and Darren Smith along with Les Wood but Richard Wood completed a good day by steering the side to a five wickets win.

Superb 135 no

from Todd

YOUNG Yeadon opener James Todd carried his good form into the next day when he helped forge a 161 runs win for the Bradford League in the Joe Lumb Competition game against Sheffield.

In the game played at East Bierley Todd, a pupil at St Mary's School, Menston, hammered a magnificent unbeaten 135. He shared an unbroken third wicket stand of 195 with Windhill's Ian Nicholson (102 no).

Bradford finished with 304 for three off their 50 overs and in reply Sheffield closed on 143 for eight.