EAST Bierley pulled off one of the shocks of the season with a thumping 186-run win over table-topping Batley in the Bradford Premier League Championship One.
Overseas player Ompal Boken showed his quality by making a splendid 125 not out from just 85 balls which was the cornerstone of his side’s 248-8. Boken hit nine sixes and 11 fours as the Batley attack took a rare battering.
Gulsheraz Ahmed (41) also made valuable runs as only Mohammed Bhoola (3-38) looked like halting the onslaught by a Bierley side still looking to pull clear of relegation trouble.
Batley’s batsmen had an afternoon to forget as Umar Farooq (5-35) and Rizwan Ali (5-20) bowled them out for just 62.
The defeat saw Batley’s lead over second placed Morley cut to 23 points with three games to play, with Bankfoot a further two points back.
Reggie Thomas was Morley’s match winner in a low-scoring encounter with in-form Hartshead Moor. He made 32 not out and rescued his side from 28-6 as they struggled to overhaul their visitors’ score of 92.
Former Yorkshire and Scotland seamer Iain Wardlaw made things difficult for Morley with 3-20 after earlier top scoring with 28 not out in his side’s innings. Paceman Matthew Dowse was the pick of Morley’s bowlers with 3-15.
Bankfoot dealt a big blow to Baildon’s hopes of forcing their way into the promotion positions as they recorded a 118-run win.
Despite being without their captain James Lee and spinner Andrew Stothart, two key men this season, Bankfoot dominated the encounter after making 195-6 when they batted first, with Hamzah Iqbal leading the way with a fine knock of 91.
Baildon were soon in trouble and never recovered as they were dismissed for 77. Jawad Waheed (3-25) and Ijaz Ahmed (3-21) did a good job for Bankfoot.
There was a dramatic finish at Ossett where the home side lost their last five wickets for just two runs to tie with second-bottom Wakefield St Michael’s, who only made 74 batting first.
Imran Mahboob (38no) top scored for St Michael’s as they struggled against the bowling of Dan Busfield (5-23) and Mushy Rafique (3-25).
Ossett looked to be cruising to victory until opener Oliver Newton (34) was the sixth man out. His dismissal triggered the collapse as Mahboob completed a fine individual display by taking 4-14.
Keighley climbed to fifth in the table as they defeated Pudsey Congs by 47 runs with overseas player Alex Antoine making a crucial contribution.
Antoine (74) shared an opening stand of 124 with Luke Chapman (70) which was the foundation for a total of 214-8. Louis Horsfield (38) also chipped in with useful runs as Jacques Allen impressed with 5-33.
The Congs batsmen were kept in check by the accurate bowling of Paul Quinlan (4-28) and Antoine (3-36) as they were dismissed for 167.
Spinner Chris Rhodes bagged 5-26 to kill off any hope bottom team Scholes might have had of overhauling Gomersal’s 178-6. Opener Muhammad Rafiq gave them hope with 35 but lacked support.
Jonathan Boynton was the lynch-pin of the Gomersal innings with an undefeated 88 while Liam Thomas chipped in with 33. Young spinner Jade Roberts was again the pick of the Scholes bowlers with 3-50.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here