CULLINGWORTH’S Ben Burkill passed 1,000 runs for the season as his side kept up the pressure on Spenser Wilson Halifax League Division One leaders Southowram with a ten-wicket victory at Great Horton Park Chapel.

Burkill, who is averaging 82, was in form again as he scored 86 not out as the visitors passed their hosts' total of 173 all out with ease.

George Fletcher (3-29) and Stuart Jackson (3-63) were the chief destroyers for Cullingworth, who remain one point behind Southowram after the table-toppers edged past Shelf by four wickets.

The race to gain promotion from Division One is set to go down to the wire as, with only two matches remaining, just seven points separate the top four.

Bridgeholme and Sowerby Bridge both trail Cullingworth by six, with the former hosting Bridge this week and Cullingworth – who welcome Blackley on Saturday – on the last day of the season.

Southowram did not have it all their own way at Shelf but a team effort ensured a four-wicket win in a low-scoring match.

Opener Babar Nawaz Malik (31) top-scored for Shelf in their 138 as Ian Gledhill took 4-22 and David Jowett 3-47, and Jamie Moody (38no) then saw Southowram home, despite Aamar Rashid (4-61).

Relegated Stones will need to re-group next season after showing no signs of losing their unfortunate record of being the only team in the league not to have recorded a maximum this season.

They lost Sowerby Bridge in their last outing by eight wickets as Steve Shannon cleaned up the tail with 4-3.

Oxenhope's demise from early-season pacesetters to Premier Division strugglers continued as Thornton’s Ross Parr demolished their batting line-up, taking 8-42 as the hosts were dismissed for just 80 in an eight-wicket defeat.

Oxenhope have now lost their last nine matches since beating Copley on June 24 and are still not mathematically safe from relegation if bottom team Queensbury win their last three matches.

Queensbury were also shot out for a score in the eighties as Booth moved to within 25 points of retaining the championship, with Moazzam Ayub (4-8) and Nigel Horsfall (4-36) the main wicket-takers.

Jer Lane have not given up the championship chase, taking visitors Mytholmroyd apart in a 192-run win.

Wayne Cotton (124), Imran Mirza (58no) and Johnny Lister (46) were among the runs, followed by Amjid Khan’s 5-44.

Daniel Cole’s 101 in Northowram Hedge Top’s ten-run victory at Sowerby St Peter’s all but mathematically alleviated their relegation worries.

It was tight as St Peter’s made a valiant chase, led by Aiden Green (83) and assisted by Hayden Bruce (44no), but Jack Hemblys had the final say with two of the final wickets in his 6-80.

Congratulations are due to Illingworth St Mary’s, who made certain of the Division Two title with a seven-wicket home win against Low Moor Holy Trinity, Daniel Murfet (5-22) and Callum Cook (46no) taking the main plaudits.

Bradshaw remain favourites to take second place as they narrowly won a fine contest against visitors Leymoor by 13 runs.

Clayton, ten points adrift, have, however, not given up the chase, as proven by their result at Luddendenfoot, where they won by 191 runs.

Chris Ramsden (65) and Tanweer Aslam (63) led the batting surge, followed by Mitesh Mistry (5-43) and Paul Gelder (4-46) doubling up to take the first nine wickets.

Old Town’s sixth win of the season saw them heading for mid-table respectability as they easily beat visitors Upper Hopton by 82 runs, with No 9 batsman Mohammed Ahdeem the star of the Boston Hill show.

Entering the fray with the score at 135-7, his innings of 92 not out, which contained 12 sixes and two fours, showed that running between the wickets was not a priority!

A demoralised Hopton, at one stage looking for a welcome win, were then bowled out cheaply as no less than six Town bowlers took at least one wicket.

Mount have found their first season in the league somewhat of an eye-opener as the Batley team were considered one of the pre-season favourites.

Their latest defeat however, at unfancied Greetland, proved that nothing is easy.

The West Vale team, on the other hand, must be well pleased with 2017 as they recorded their seventh maximum, compared with not a single one last season.

A trio of batsmen in Paul Quarmby (46no), Ilaq Jamal (43) and Damien Reynolds (41no) secured the five-wicket win.