SHELF maintained their position as joint leaders in Division Two of the Bradford & District Evening League by smashing an unprecedented 260-3 in 18 overs against Muff Field at their Sunnybank ground.

The mammoth score came thanks to openers Younis Bismillah (52no) and Musawer Shah (52no), well supported by Bilal Hameed (50no) and Ali Maisum (48) - making this the highest score in the Evening League in living memory.

Undaunted, the Muff Field batsmen also enjoyed themselves by notching a defiant 184-5 in reply, with Irfan Jamadar retiring on 52no, while Zohaib Iqbal (28) and Iby Bismillah (27) also weighed in.

Great Horton Park Chapel stay joint top with Shelf on seven points as they eased passed Bradshaw by seven wickets at Ewart Street.

Still seeking their first success of the season, Bradshaw made a below par 128-7 off 18 overs with Josh Dougall (27no) joint top scoring with Chris Dennison (27).

Park Chapel’s overseas opener, Blair Oakley, then hit 51no off 28 balls, including seven fours and three sixes, as the home side reached their target with seven wickets and 3.1 overs to spare, thanks to further contributions from Danny Wilkins (30) and Oliver Challis (25).

Thornton stay third on five points with a 10-wicket home victory against Cross Roads & Daisy Hill.

The Windhill side contributed to their own downfall with five run-outs in their 56-9 off their 16 overs. Thornton made short work of their target in just five overs with overseas Johandre Bernard continuing his good form by making 44no, which included four fours and four sixes.

Ciroc moved two points clear on seven points at the top of Division One with a 22-run victory at Denholme while rivals Buttershaw St Paul’s experienced a reverse result by five wickets at the hands of Greenfield, who now move into joint second spot with St Paul’s and Crossflatts.

Ciroc made an impressive 159-6 from 16 overs with retirements from overseas Mehran Ibrahim (55no) and Hamza Iqbal (52no) as the home side realised a little too late that taking pace off the ball was key as spinner Andy Wear took 4-10 from four overs.

Brother Richie Wear then made a defiant 50no as Denholme were in with a shout of an unexpected victory as they were 85-0 at the halfway stage but eventually fell 22 runs short on 137-2 as the run rate slowed after Wear’s retirement.

Openers Kevin McDermott (48) and Jamie Robson (34) put on 80 for the first wicket as Buttershaw St Paul’s reached 131-8 at Greenfield as Sohail Akram took 4-13 for the hosts.

Greenfield reached their target with 1.4 overs to spare as they ended on 132-5 thanks to contributions from opener Danish Hussain (45) and reliable Sajad Ali (32).

Crossflatts had a narrow five-run victory over Undercliffe in a high-scoring affair at Intake Road. Flatts made 170-7 from just 16 overs thanks to A Hussain (34), overseas Bright Njanji (33) and R Hussain (25).

However, Undercliffe's openers responded as Abdul Wahid’s 55no and Zeeshan Qasim’s 45, supported by a further 42 from Farouk Alam, must have set the alarm bells ringing. But the hosts fell agonisingly short on 165-4.

John Breare picked up their first victory with a surprisingly comfortable win at home to unpredictable Raja’s, who were shot out for just 77 in 15.1 overs, with Jonny Robinson taking 5-11 and Tom Westerman 4-19 for the Westfield Lane side.

John Breare then eased to victory by making 79-3 in 11.3 overs with Ben Waller top scoring with 26.

Today’s fixtures: Division One – Buttershaw St Paul’s v Denholme, Ciroc v Crossflatts, John Breare v Undercliffe, Raja’s v Greenfield. Division Two – Bradshaw v Cross Roads & Daisy Hill, Muff Field v Thornton, Shelf v Great Horton Park Chapel.