Woodlands win to keep up with Hanging Heaton and New Farnley

Skipper Lee Goddard’s second successive century powered New Farnley to a 187-run win at Bradford & Bingley while unsung opening bowler James Byrne (6-70) was the key performer as Hanging Heaton scored a nine-run win over Pudsey St Lawrence.

Defending champions Woodlands are the only other unbeaten team and are three points adrift of the leading duo after a 87-run win at Batley.

There is no dispute about who is the leading batsman in the top flight, as Goddard followed up his 123 against Cleckheaton with a superb knock of 141 at Wagon Lane.

The former Derbyshire and Durham player hit three sixes and 19 fours.

Goddard was joined in an opening stand of 217 by teenager Aidan Langley, who made his highest Premier Division score of 84.

With Adam Waite chipping in with 53, New Farnley posted an impressive score of 349-4.

Bradford & Bingley opener Matthew Duce (40) and Matthew Swallow (33) were the only home batsmen to make an impression as they were bowled out for 162, Andrew Brewster taking 3-41 and Gurnam Randhawa 3-42.

Hanging Heaton and Pudsey St Lawrence have produced some thrilling games in recent seasons and the latest edition didn’t disappoint.

The home side won by nine runs to bag another 20-point haul and bowler Byrne proved to be their trump card.

He struck four early blows as the visitors were reduced to 56-6 and returned later to dismiss James Smith (83) and Charlie Parker (39) after they had threatened to snatch victory for their side.

It was wicketkeeper Shahban Raheem who played the key innings for Hanging Heaton.

He made an unbeaten 55 after his side had slipped from 64-1 to 134-6 and looked in danger of failing to build on the efforts of Nick Connolly (43) and Ben Kohler-Cadmore (33).

Spinners Archie Scott (3-56) and Chris Marsden (3-62) were the pick of the bowlers for Saints.

Off spinner Kez Ahmed took 6-31 as Batley were dismissed for 158 in reply to a Woodlands total of 245-8.

Brad Schmulian (44), Sam Frankland (40) and Greg Finn (37) were the main contributors for Woodlands while Mohammad Bhoola (4-40) was the best of the home bowlers.

Townville were the day’s quickest winners as they bowled out Cleckheaton for a paltry 56 and knocked off the runs for the loss of two wickets.

Skipper Jack Hughes took 4-3 as Cleckheaton crumbled after electing to bat first. Harry Warwick was unbeaten on 36 when they reached their victory target in just 6.1 overs.

Methley’s teenage opener Alex Cree showed his quality by scoring his maiden Bradford Premier League century, which helped his side to a resounding 249-run win over their old rivals Wrenthorpe.

Cree made a superb 128, an innings laced with five sixes and 16 fours and was supported by Jordan Laban (44) and James Logan (40) as Methley made 324-6.

They then bowled out the home side for a miserable 75. Skipper Tom Chippendale took 4-43 and spinner Logan (3-16).

Wicket-keeper Jonathan Read hit an unbeaten 94 to steer Farsley to a comfortable eight-wicket win over Morley.

Read was joined in a second wicket partnership of 143 by opener Chris Beech (63), which was pivotal to Farsley’s chasing down of Morley’s 216-9.

Earlier, Morley’s wicketkeeper Luke Heinemann made an unbeaten 62 which revived his side after a middle-order collapse to the bowling of spinner Adam Ahmed (4-64) spoilt the good work of opener James McNichol (49).

Evergreen David Nebard (23) shared a ninth wicket stand of 65 with Heinemann to at least set a bigger target than had seemed likely earlier.

In Division One, Gomersal and Ossett lead the way in a division which has five unbeaten teams after the first two games of the campaign.

Joel Pollard set up Gomersal’s two-wicket win over Hartshead Moor with an impressive 7-30.

He helped reduce the visitors to 36-8 before skipper Dave McCallum (81no) and Chris Swift (42) added 96 for the ninth wicket.

McCallum also received staunch support from Danny Squire as a further 45 was put on for the last wicket, but a total of 177 wasn’t enough to stave off defeat.

Andy Gorrod made 45 as Gomersal edged home despite the efforts of Squire (3-49) and Josh Marsden (3-56).

Lightcliffe’s decision to bat first against Ossett didn’t pay off as they lost their first three wickets for just three runs.

Jack Hendy (63) battled hard to revive his side but lacked support as they were bowled out for 140, with spinner Matthew Varley taking 5-35.

Ossett’s new overseas player Rishin Patabedigemade made 59 not out and James Keen (39no) as they guided their side to an eight-wicket win.

East Bierley are two points behind the joint leaders after a 30-run win over Undercliffe.

Ben Walter, who made a stunning 227no in their Heavy Woollen Cup win over Wakefield Thornes last Sunday, top scored with 47 while Matthew West made 41 in a total of 180.

Overseas player Khalid Usman took 4-50 for Undercliffe, who were bowled out for 150 in their reply. Spinner Danny Cross (4-46) and Jack Hebden (3-48) did much of the damage.

Birstall are a further two points adrift after a narrow seven-run win at Carlton. Their hopes of notching a second win looked slim when they were bowled out for 137 as Jonathan Rudge took 5-39.

But the value of Brad Lay’s 36 became clear when Carlton were dismissed for 130. Daniel White (33) top scored as left-arm spinner Josh Haynes took 4-20 to secure Birstall’s win.

Keighley recorded their first win when they overcame Pudsey Congs by 32 runs and the player who had a big part in their success was Paul Quinlan.

He made 60 and shared a fifth wicket stand of 103 with Henry Moore, which revived his side’s innings and enabled them to post a score of 192-9.

Vinit Patel (3-29) and overseas player Pramud Hettiwatte (3-43) were the pick of the home bowlers.

Quinlan also made his mark with the ball as he picked up 4-43, as Congs were restricted to 160 all out.

Leg spinner James Massheder (4-39) was also among the wickets while opener Jacob Slator top scored for Congs with 61.

Overseas player Cosmond Walters produced a stunning innings of 161 which powered Jer Lane to a 173-run win over Wakefield St Michael’s in Division Two.

The West Indian smashed 11 sixes and 18 fours as Jer Lane piled up 347-8, with skipper Raqeeb Younis (41) and Haseeb Rehman (38) also making useful runs against an attack in which Cavan Connolly (4-76) enjoyed the most success.

Openers Qasar Hameed (40) and Alex Leyshon (34) provided a solid start but their colleagues faltered as St Michael’s were dismissed for 174. Farakh Hussain picked up 3-19.

Jer Lane are one of three teams with a maximum 40 points, Sandal and Northowram Field are the others after wins over Hunslet Nelson and Scholes respectively.

Brandon Hewlett was the undoubted star of Sandal’s 155-run victory over Hunslet Nelson. He came in to bat with his side in trouble at 95-6 and transformed their fortunes with a knock of 82.

Support from Anai Ganjim (31no) enabled Sandal to reach 237-8. Hewlett followed up with 7-48 as he and Sam Noden bowled out Nelson for just 82.

John Lister hit 107 as Northowram Fields defeated Scholes by two wickets. He hit two sixes and 13 fours and was backed up by Todd Reeday (36) as the home side’s score of 236 was overhauled despite the efforts of Josh Fell (4-54) and Mohammed Akif (3-42).

Saif Tahir (91) was top scorer for Scholes while the Garner brothers Max (4-45) and Sam (4-63) shared the bowling honours for Northowram Fields.

Newcomers Hazrat Abbas and Imran Malik had impressive debuts as they inspired Bowling Old Lane to an 82-run win over Spen Victoria.

Abbas hit three sixes and 11 fours as he made 109 while Malik scored 52 as Old Lane recovered from a shaky start to make 278-8.

Abbas followed up with 3-54 as Spen were dismissed for 196. Mohammed Dar (57no) and Amjad Tariq (33) were the best of the home batsmen.

Hopton Mills chased down a Buttershaw St Paul’s total of 249-9 to win by four wickets.

An unbeaten 83 from Kashmir Talib and 56 from Chris Scott were key to their success as they added 138 for the fifth wicket.

Matthew Long (68no) and Amer Ayoub (59) hit half centuries for St Paul’s while Michael Carroll (3-64) and Umar Abbas (3-74) were the best of the Mills bowlers.

East Ardsley chalked up their first win with a 39-run triumph at Yeadon.

Solid batting from skipper Richard Vigars (58), Gary Jennings (43) and Josh Wild (40) took them to a score of 226.

Andrew Robinson (3-51) and Gareth Lee (3-63) led the Yeadon bowling effort. The home side managed 187 in response with Jonathan Bell impressing with 74.

Ashley Pearson picked up 3-48 for East Ardsley.

An unbroken last-wicket stand of 46 between skipper Chris Bishop-West and Chris Priestley edged Adwalton to a one-wicket win over Crossbank Methodists to go top of the Division Three table.

Both batsmen finished on 23 not out as the Crossbank Methodists’ score of 226 was passed with two balls to spare.

The 20 points Adwalton secured mean they are the only team with maximum points after the opening two games.

While Bishop-West and Priestley provided the finishing touches, Adwalton’s win owed much to the innings of 73 from Patrick Green which kept them in the hunt.

Earlier, Priestley had taken 4-35 in the Crossbank Methodists’ innings, which featured 47 from Joel Bennett.

East Leeds are second after a surprisingly comfortable win by 93 runs over Altofts.

James Watling took 5-27 as East Leeds bowled out Altofts for 134 in response to their 227. Kavan Patel (44) top scored for East Leeds while Elliot Carter took 4-72 for Altofts.

Brighouse recorded their second win with Quadratullah Aziz taking 7-32 as they bowled out Gildersome & Farnley Hill for 76 to secure a 71-run win.

Skipper Wajid Hussain (39) top scored in Brighouse’s 149 while Martin Morley (4-40) and Jordan Edmondson (3-30) were the pick of the Gildersome & Farnley Hill bowlers.

Mohammad Shahnawaz produced stunning figures of 7-31 to secure new boys Crossflatts their first win on their home debut.

Thanks to Shahnawaz, opponents Rodley were bowled out for 78 to confirm a 169-run win.

The Crossflatts score of 247-9 owed much to the efforts of Josh Brooksbank (67) and Joe Greenwood (49). Luke Cosford (3-64) was the pick of the Rodley bowlers.

Windhill & Daisy Hill batsmen Tabassum Bhatti (117) and Chris Heald (98no) both found themselves on the losing side at Great Preston where the home side won a close encounter by 10 runs.

Bhatti, who hit a six and 18 fours, and Heald threatened to take their side to victory as they chased the home score of 293, but new boy Oliver Newton (4-60) helped ensure they didn’t succeed.

Ben Broxup (67), Ian Newton (57) and Jacob Wright (50no) top scored for Great Preston as that man Bhatti picked up 4-52.

After being pipped in a high-scoring encounter at Altofts last week, Heckmondwike & Carlinghow bounced back with a 36-run win over Liversedge.

Abdulla Qureshi (42) and Farhad Imam (41) led them to 151 before Kanhu Pattnayak took 3-23 as Liversedge were dismissed for 115.