Pudsey St Lawrence opener Alex Stead was baffled and almost lost for words.

For the third time this season, Saints had severely tested their great rivals Pudsey Congs on Saturday but ended up with nothing.

It was another reminder that not all the great cricket matches being played in Britain this summer are sponsored by Npower.

"I just could not see where we lost it - except perhaps when Mark Robertshaw didn't throw the stumps down late on," said Stead. "It was just one of those days."

But even Stead must have been encouraged when Division One leaders Congs were 28 for three chasing St Lawrence's 223 for six, of which opener Mark Whitehead had made a cultured 110 and James Smith a more explosive 55.

Bradley Parker, Barbar Butt and Andy Bethel were all back in the pavilion, but, as usual, Congs found some men for the moment, this time middle-order trio Andy Bairstow, Matthew Doidge and Glenn Roberts.

Bairstow (94) and Doidge (55) had added 128 when the skipper was caught and bowled by Gareth Clough, who, along with Faisal Irfan, were managing to keep the target up at around seven an over.

Left-hander Roberts had no time to play himself in but was lucky when a skied shot towards midwicket fell between two rapidly covering fielders and a shot through the covers looped up over Gary Fellows' head.

Roberts then swatted Clough for six over midwicket and the target was down to 45 off six overs.

Then it was 31 off four. Bairstow was almost run out when Roberts ran for two, but just when it looked as if Bairstow would reach three figures he was run out by a direct hit by Chris Marsden. The pressure was building on Congs, but Roberts squeezed a vital four to third man off a Clough yorker to relieve much of that and the runs needed were 12 off 13 balls.

Roberts was almost run out by wicketkeeper David Syers after nearly playing on, and Shehzad Butt sliced Faisal Irfan into the offside for two to make it a mere five needed off the final over.

All-rounder Roberts then launched Clough's first ball for six between long on and midwicket to maintain their title push and leave St Lawrence with that empty feeling once again.

Roberts said: "My job when I went in was to give Andy Bairstow as much support as I could, but after he was out I had confidence in Shehzad Butt, and my four past the keeper certainly relieved the pressure."

Whitehead, who hit 16 fours, reached his half-century in 71 minutes off 63 balls.

Smith reached his landmark in 34 minutes off just 38 balls, and they added 79 for the fourth wicket after Whitehead and Stead had put on 60 for openers.

With Neil Gill having strained his side during the warm-up, Mark Bray sent down 22 overs and was rewarded with four for 100.

Paul Hutchison helped to reduce Congs to 28 for three.

But Bairstow (12 fours, one six), Doidge (six fours, one six) and Roberts (two sixes, two fours) took it away from St Lawrence in thrilling fashion.