Bradford sides Woodlands and Bradford & Bingley win openers

Champions Woodlands got their bid for a fifth-successive Premier Division title off to a winning start and there were also victories in the top flight for New Farnley, Bradford & Bingley, Pudsey St Lawrence, Jer Lane and Methley.

Brad Schmulian, back leading the Oakenshaw-based side after a successful season in New Zealand for Central Districts, hit an unbeaten 58 and was well supported by Tim Jackson (54 not out) and Cieran Garner (41) as his side overhauled a Farsley total of 177 to win by eight wickets.

Ryan Cooper (45) and new captain Ben Wright (35) were top scorers for Farsley when they batted first, as Woodlands spinners Kez Ahmed (4-23) and Schmulian (3-45) did a fair bit of damage with the ball.

New Farnley were indebted to Alex Lilley (54no) and Steve Bullen (40no) as they rescued their side from 30-4 after Townville pair Conor Harvey (3-48) and Matthew Lumb posed real problems with the new ball.

Lilley and Bullen shared an unbroken stand of 94 as New Farnley passed the Townville total of 121 to secure a six-wicket victory.

New captain Lilley had earlier taken 4-27 as his decision to ask Townville to bat first paid dividends.

Lumb proved to be top scorer with 26 not out and his last wicket stand of 34 with Liam Booth at least took his side’s total into three figures.

Matthew Lumb was probably Townville's best player on a difficult afternoon for them against New Farnley. (Image: Ray Spencer.)

Runs were also tough to come by at Wagon Lane where Gordon Rigg Priestley Cup holders Bradford & Bingley edged out newly promoted Undercliffe by eight runs.

The home side were bowled out for 109 as Scotland spinner Mark Watt took 4-28, but Bradford & Bingley hit back to dismiss Undercliffe for 101, with their slow left arm bowler Bradley Reeve producing figures of 4-38.

St Lawrence came out on top in the Pudsey derby with a 47-run win over Congs.

The Saints justified Chris Marsden’s decision to bat first as they compiled a total of 254-9.

Harry Cullingford (67) and Charlie Best (44) were the main contributors, as Jamie Allen (4-89) and Adam Pearson (3-38) proved to be the most successful bowlers.

Promising young batter Hassan Butt top scored with 49 and wicketkeeper Josh Bennett added 40 as the visitors could only reply with 207-8.

New signing Mosun Hussain impressed on his Jer Lane debut with 69 as he and Kyme Tahirkheli (66) enabled their side to record a six-wicket win at Cleckheaton.

Spinner Lachlan Doidge (3-47) posed the main threat with the ball for the hosts.

The home side were made to work hard for runs when they were put in by Yasir Ali.

Waleed Akhtar (35) and Yousaf Baber (33) provided early hope before their side faltered against the bowling of the experienced Amir Hussain (6-33) and were bowled out for 195.

James Wainman produced the day’s best bowling figures in the Premier Division.

The former Yorkshire player took 6-16 as Methley dismissed Ossett for 132 to secure a 61-run win.

Methley’s new opening batter Taylor Gornall made 72 in the home side’s 193. Ossett shared their wickets between Junaid Khan (4-28), Henry Pearson (3-42) and Matty Race (3-40).

There was a nail-biting finish at Scatcherd Lane in Division One where Morley edged home by one-wicket against Hanging Heaton.

The last-wicket pair of Tinaye Mazonde and Jamil Aslam scrambled 10 runs to take their side past the visitors’ score of 130 after the loss of six wickets for 29 runs had threatened to scupper their hopes.

Muhammad Hafeez (4-26) and skipper Mustafa Rafique (3-54) were the best of the Hanging Heaton bowlers.

Rafique had earlier top scored with 48 after his side’s top order crumbled against the bowling of Chris Blakeney (5-30).

The day’s biggest score was compiled by Carlton, who made 348-5 on their way to a 144-run win over Batley.

Newcomer Naveed Malik announced his arrival by smashing six sixes and 10 fours while making 106 from just 58 balls.

His onslaught enabled Carlton to capitalise on the foundations laid by openers Dan White (53) and Steve Cooper (41).

Skipper James Glynn (59) also made his presence felt as he shared a fourth wicket stand of 102 with Malik.

Batley replied with 204-9, as debutant Waseem Liaqat hitting seven sixes and four fours while making an unbeaten 67.

Opener Mohammed Yusuf (38) was the other main contributor as Farukh Alam (5-34) was the best of the bowlers.

Sam Kelly (5-30) and Cameron Sharp (3-23) took the bowling honours as Baildon dismissed Yeadon for 126 on their way to a six-wicket win.

Istikhar Hussain (44no) was the only Yeadon batsman to make any sort of positive impression.

Baildon were made to work hard for their runs, but skipper Kevin McDermott (37) and James Skingle (31) ensured they secured victory.

Gulsheraz Ahmed (3-48) proved to be the best of the Yeadon bowlers.

Heckmondwike & Carlinghow were sent spinning to defeat by 51 runs at Gomersal in Division Two.

Slow bowler Chris Rhodes (6-7) sparked a collapse which saw Heckmondwike & Carlinghow lose their last eight wickets for 28 to be bowled out for 79.

Liam Fletcher (42) was top scorer as Gomersal battled to 130 when put in to bat. Waqas Asaad (4-37) and Wajid Hussain (3-34) were the key bowlers.

Crossflatts, who flirted with relegation last season, got off to a winning start with a five-wicket victory over newly-promoted Scholes.

They had last year’s Division Three champions in early trouble by taking their first two wickets with just one run on the board.

Christian Jackson struck out boldly for his 69 but lacked support in a total of 142.

Azhar Mehmood (4-27) and Dominic Bennett (4-31) did a good job with the ball for their side.

Jacob Stephen (37no) and Tinashe Gomwe (32) ensured that Crossflatts reached their victory target with relative ease, despite the efforts of Hamza Khan (4-32).

Hunslet Nelson continued where they left off last season with another win, defeating Buttershaw St Paul’s by 25 runs after Dan Brooke-Mawson took 5-40.

Bradley Powell (46) and Jonathan Burston (35) battled hard but lacked support as St Paul’s were dismissed for 146 in reply to the Nelson total of 171-8.

That score owed much to the efforts of Andy McIntosh (59) and Joe Smith (44), with Amjad Minhas (4-21) posing a real threat with the ball for Buttershaw.

There was a close encounter as Altofts where the home side suffered seven-run defeat at the hands of Northowram Fields.

Ben Grech’s 74 helped the visitors to a score of 195 as Craig Wood (4-42) and Saif Tahir (3-42) enjoyed the most success.

Altofts were lost their first three wickets for just four runs before Jacques Porter steadied the ship with 39.

Tahir then took the attack to the bowlers and made 74, but despite that and a score of 35 from skipper Jordan Carter, they were dismissed for 188 to lose by seven runs.

Opener Hayden Mortimer made 137 as Great Preston launched their Division Three campaign with a resounding 172-run win over Gildersome & Farnley Hill.

Mortimer struck three sixes and 19 fours as he helped his side post a total of 253-9.

He shared a second wicket stand of 109 with Shamsullah Dost (34) and was also well supported by Oli Baron (45).

Muhammad Shah (3-69) and Syed Shah (3-48) were the best of the bowlers.

Gildersome & Farnley Hill found the going tough and the early season rustiness showed in their batting as they were bowled out for 81, Imran Patel taking 3-22.

There total was not the lowest of the day, as a hapless Windhill & Daisy Hill side were bowled out for just 36, allowing new-look Crossbank Methodists to romp to victory by eight wickets.

Tanveer Ahmad (5-13) and Kabeer Hussain (5-22) showed no mercy with the ball for the Busy Lane outfit.

Wrenthorpe have had little cheer in recent years after three successive relegations so winning on the opening day came as a welcome boost.

They overcame Brighouse by two wickets, a success set up by their bowlers Muhammad Sudais (4-54) and Hassan Abbas (4-36) as Brighouse were bowled out for 181.

Sohail Ahmed (39) and Abid Ali (34no) were the top scorers for Brighouse while Mustafa Idris (35) led the way in the successful Wrenthorpe reply.