WOODLANDS are the new leaders of the Bradford League Premier Division after securing a 33-run win at Hanging Heaton, which enabled them to capitalise on New Farnley’s first defeat of the season.

They went down by 39 runs to Methley, who are now third in the table,while Morley pulled off another big shock as they defeated Pudsey St Lawrence by four runs in a tense finish at Tofts Road.

Elsewhere, Townville climbed to fourth with a 12-run victory at Wrenthorpe, Farsley overcame Cleckheaton by 48 runs, and Bradford & Bingley lifted themselves out of the relegation positions with a 70-run win at bottom team Batley.

An unbroken eighth wicket stand of 83 between Tom Clee (41 not out) and Scott Richardson (33no) proved crucial to Woodlands’ win at Hanging Heaton.

They came together with their side in trouble at 99-7 after left-arm spinner Callum Bethel (3-73) had sparked a collapse following the dismissal of opener Sam Frankland for 38.

Woodlands’ score of 182-7 soon took on a more challenging look as the home side slipped to 9-3.

Skipper Ben Kohler-Cadmore restored some order to the innings with a determined knock of 50, while James Byrne made a spirited 40 before Hanging Heaton were all out for 149.

Scott Richardson capped a valuable individual performance with 3-19.

Methley were indebted to Jordan Laban (69) and Yassir Ali (45no) for enabling them to post a score of 191 despite losing their first two wickets with just four runs on the board. Spinners Grant Soames (3-50) and Gurnam Randhawa (3-43) posed the main threat.

New Farnley slipped to 6-3 and 18-4 in their reply with skipper Tom Chippendale claiming the prized wicket of his opposite number Lee Goddard for a duck.

Dan Hodgson tried to repair the damage with 38, but his former Farsley team-mate James Logan (3-43) ensured that Methley did not let New Farnley off the hook as they were dismissed for 152.

Morley’s Sri Lankan all-rounder Kavindu Kulasekara is making a habit of producing match-winning performances against top teams.

Just three weeks after taking 8-34 as his side beat Hanging Heaton by three runs, Kulasekara was at it again with decisive contributions with bat and ball as they came out on top in another tight finish.

He hit 62 as Morley made 216-6 after being put in to bat and followed up with 4-48 as St Lawrence finished on 212-9.

Henry Rush (54) joined Kulasekara in a third wicket stand of 108 which provided the impetus for Morley to post what proved to be a winning score. Josh Priestley (3-56) was the most successful Saints bowler.

St Lawrence looked to be heading for a heavy defeat when they were reduced to 83-6, but James Smith was in no mood to give up the fight. He made 47 and along with Charlie Parker (46) gave his side hope of victory until both fell in quick succession.

The last-wicket pair of Josh Dracup and Jude Roberts needed to score 14 from the final over which was bowled by James McNichol. They were only able to scramble nine as Morley held on for another important win.

Townville had to survive a late onslaught from Wrenthorpe’s eighth wicket pair of Matthew Race and skipper Sam Storr as they climbed to fourth place with a 12-run win.

Such a close finish looked unlikely when Wrenthorpe were reduced to 89-6 in reply to Townville’s 220 by Ritchie Bresnan (4-41) and Conor Harvey (3-59), but Race and Storr decided attack was the best form of defence.

Both batsmen peppered the boundary with Race hitting eight sixes and five fours in his 90, while Storr struck fours sixes and six fours while making 63. Their efforts enabled Wrenthorpe to finish on 208.

Townville’s total was built around the contributions of Harvey (38) and overseas player Athelbert Braithwaite (32) as they made 220.

Cleckheaton slipped back into the relegation positions after their defeat at Farsley and Bradford & Bingley’s victory over Batley.

Yorkshire opener Matthew Revis marked his seasonal debut for Farsley with a fine innings of 95 which, along with Adam Ahmed’s unbeaten 35, saw his side made 195-6.

Cleckheaton looked to be heading for victory while Harvey Booth (43) and Ethan Lee (35) were at the wicket, but once they were parted the last eight wickets fell for 43 runs.

Middlesex second teamer Max John (4-38) and skipper Matthew Lumb (4-39) did much of the damage as Cleckheaton were dismissed for 147.

Left-arm spinner Bradley Reeve proved to be Bradford & Bingley’s match winner with 6-25 as Batley were bowled out for 100 to secure a 70-run win for the Wagon Laners. Sufyan Patel (42) was the only Batley batsman to look at ease.

Opener Kyme Tahirkheli (43) top scored for Bradford & Bingley while Reiko Parker-Cole, Matthew Swallow and Yasir Abbas all scored 31. Mohammed Bhoola took 3-55 for Batley.

In Division One, Ossett squeezed past Bankfoot by two wickets to move above Gomersal and East Bierley into second, after that pair saw their games abandoned without a ball being bowled.

The only other game in that league that survived the rain was Baildon's against Keighley, with the former winning by 41 runs.

Birstall, despite not getting to play, remain top of the division.

Division Two leaders Jer Lane saw their game with Sandal abandoned, while previous second-placed incumbents Northowram Fields slid to a dramatic two-run defeat against Bowling Old Lane.

All that meant East Ardsley went top by beating lowly Spen Victoria by five wickets, while Buttershaw St Paul's leapt up to second after thumping Spen's fellow strugglers Hunslet Nelson by nine wickets.

Finally, in Division Three, Brighouse went top by crushing Adwalton by 124 runs, while Bradford League new boys Crossflatts made their way up to second by easily beating Heckmondwike & Carlinghow by 69 runs.

Liversedge and Windhill & Daisy Hill are second bottom and bottom respectively. Both lost and are still seeking their first win of the season.