CLECKHEATON avoided a potential banana skin in style by reaching the semi-finals of the Bradford Premier League’s Priestley Cup.

They were at Keighley for their third-round tie, with the Division One side having put out top-flight Batley in the last round.

However, after choosing to bat and posting 353-6, Cleckheaton only had one period of alarm when Keighley openers Billy Whitford (37) and keeper Adam Smith (39) put on 79 inside 12 overs.

The wicket of Whitford, who was lbw to Hashim Wajid, was the start of a collapse, with Keighley losing five wickets in four overs to fall to 87-5.

Late counter-attacking by Simon Bailey (42) and Ijaz Ahmed (25), who both peppered the terracing in front of the pavilion, helped Keighley to a respectable 171, as they suffered a 182-run defeat.

Cleckheaton’s innings was built around a second-wicket stand of 177 between opener Toby Booth (117) and overseas Yousaf Baber (71), with the disciplined Richard Pyrah (54) and the more flamboyant Michael Nicholson (40) adding 65 for the fourth wicket.

It was a day when half-chances didn’t stick for Keighley and shots into the outfield somehow found turf rather than hands.

Booth’s innings lasted 116 balls and contained 16 fours and three sixes, while Baber’s 76-ball knock included 10 fours.

Pyrah and Nicholson then took advantage of an attack in which none of the eight bowlers used could contain the flow of runs.

One feature of the first innings was Keighley skipper Scott Etherington in animated conversation with umpires Martin Casey and Gerald Taylor, with discussions continuing on the pitch after the start of the tea interval.

It was Booth’s first ton of the season, and he said afterwards: “Our league form hasn’t been the best but we won yesterday (in the league) and took that momentum into today on what was a good wicket.

“We wanted to put a big score on the board, and we did that and then managed to nick out their overseas (Noah McFadyen) early doors.

“They got a couple of partnerships but we stuck at it quite well.

“With the new ball there was a bit in it - a bit off the seam - and then once we broke the back of the innings the wicket flattened out and the field spread and we could just knock it around.

“I got 69 yesterday and it rained and to back it up today was really pleasing.

“I thought 350 was always going to be too many for them and then they were 70-0 off 10 and I knew that it was a good wicket.

“I wouldn’t say that we started to panic but then wickets started to fall very quickly.”

In the Premier Division, Batley are bottom with 89 points, with Cleckheaton on 93 and Bankfoot on 113, with Hanging Heaton (128), Methley (138) and Farsley (139) the three above them.

Booth said of the relegation battle: “We have Bankfoot next Saturday, which is obviously a massive game.

“We are just trying to win games of cricket and not look too much at the table - just take it one game at a time - but it potentially is two from three, although there are a couple of other sides that could get dragged into it.

“We are only at (just past) halfway and we have a capable side so we are not panicking yet.”

In some ways, Booth will just be grateful to get in a crop of matches.

He explained: “This is my third season at Cleck after moving from Kirkburton, but the first season was the Covid one and the second season I was working abroad and only managed to play half of the games so this is my first full season, which sounds bizarre.”

The other Priestley Cup semi-finalists are New Farnley, Woodlands and Methley.

New Farnley defeated Townville in a repeat of last year’s final, and were indebted to 16-year-old opener Joe Pyrah (no relation to Richard), who was called into the side on the morning of the match due to Lee Goddard’s broken finger.

Pyrah, who had made 117 for their second team the day before, scored 67 and added 127 for the second wicket with Adam Waite (106) in their 297-8.

Harry Warwick made 92 for Townville before being superbly caught in the deep by Liam Guthrie, but Conor Harvey (55 from 23 balls) and Tom Brook (59no) then took centre stage, and it looked as if Townville would pull it off only for a last-wicket mix-up which left them 21 runs short.

Sam Frankland (79) and skipper Brad Schmulian (34no) helped Woodlands to a seven-wicket win over Hanging Heaton after Muhammad Bilal (4-25) and Schmulian (4-23) had dismissed the Batley side for 145.

Meanwhile, Jack Hartley (4-43 and 57no) could not prevent Bradford & Bingley from a 26-run defeat at 2017 runners-up Methley.