SPENSER Wilson Halifax League Premier Division leaders Illingworth St Mary’s made short work of Copley, requiring just over 36 overs to conclude the match.

Copley’s decision to bat rebounded in big style with only two players reaching double figures as it was skittled out for 80 and extras was top scorer with 23, Luke Brooksby leading the demolition act with 5-28.

Matthew Smith hit 54 in 32 balls, caught behind with only six required.

In massive contrast was the effort of the Warley batsmen at Shelf Northowram HT where the home team’s fielders visibly wilted under a 309-3 onslaught.

Opener Chris Marsh helped himself to 107 and Ben Atkinson (92) missed out on a century. This was followed by a double cameo, in an unbroken 84-run fourth wicket stand, provided by Cameron van Rensberg (42no) and Haroon Razzak (39no).

With the exception of Daniel Cole (47) the drained Hedge Top line-up capitulated with little fight and were bowled out for 140 – Zeeshan Iqbal helping himself to a 6-45, backed up by van Rensberg (4-38).

Oxenhope’s gamble of inserting Booth fell on stony ground as the second-placed team’s 206-7 proved far too much.

Rob Laycock (54) and Steven Senior (41) top-scored and this was followed up by Patrick Thomas taking 5-43 in a 74-run victory.

At Triangle, Daniel Crosland (106) led the initial opening salvo at home to SBCI but no other batsman reached 40.

Oliver Benson (4-58) and Robin Hanson (4-61) restricted the score to 269 all out.

However that score proved just five runs too many for SBCI as, after an excellent opening partnership of 162 between Lewis Firth (81) and Thomas Wood (80), the momentum was lost and a final late scramble for runs was not enough.

Mytholmroyd’s Shazad Hussan (92) was easily the top-scorer in his team’s encounter with Sowerby Bridge but finished on the losing team.

None of his fellow batsman provided much support and with Jake Dixon (4-27) and Sam Mellor (4-54) in the groove the home team was bowled out for 156.

The Bridge’s response in the main came fro three players who got in the thirties but a relatively easy five-wicket came in 37.1 overs. Sowerby St Peter’s were well beaten by Thornton at home, losing by six wickets.

There was a scene of mayhem in the First Divison at Upper Hopton as the home team was routed for 44 runs against second-placed Great Horton PC.

Dominic Anderson took the first three wickets without conceding a run, the home team 6-4 at one stage, and then proceeded to elevate himself to the top of this season’s first XI’s bowling performances with remarkable figures of 8-7.

The visitors’ lost only one wicket in knocking off the required runs, that of Anderson, as it closed to within a point of league leaders Blackley.

Clayton had a tremendous home win against Blackley, overhauling its 241 all out with 23 balls to spare.

Mick Midwood (66) top-scored for Blackley but the afternoon belonged jointly to Clayton’s Sam Wilson (6-24) and opener Chris Ramsden (120no) whose unbeaten century ensured the maximum return and put his team within six points of its visitors at the top.

Perhaps the surprise of the day came as hosts Mount lost to third-from-bottom Southowram by nine wickets.

Four batsmen failed to score and Ian Gledhill cleaned up a long tail with figures of 4-5, in 70 all out.

Gledhill proceeded to make it a scrapbook day for himself hitting 50no as the Rams took just 21.4 overs to score 73-1 and claim 12 points, its second win at the venue this season.

Bottom team Bridgeholme struggled at its Eastwood home against Bradshaw and was all out for 139 in 38.1 overs, Zaher Abbas (42) being the only batsmen to make any impression on the visiting bowlers, Si Collins taking 4-34.

Collins then hit 49 in a partnership with skipper Adam Spendelow (61no), that yielded 72.

In the Second Division, not for the first time at Cullingworth, the home team was indebted to Chris Welch whose 78, in a total of 164-9, kept the innings together as four Outlane bowlers shared the wickets.

And he wasn’t finished there as Outlane, having being softened up by Michael Bright (3-42), succumbed to 96 all out as Welch took 4-14 and his team recorded its fourth maximum of the season.

Old Town’s usual practice of spreading its runs among the team was to the fore against visiting Leymoor.

Six batsmen disappeared quickly in a total of 122 all out, Leymoor’s Pierce Walker (5-29) responsible for half the dismissals.

The visitors were in trouble at 47-4 but the ship was steadied by Martin Allison (43no) and Martin Coulson (39) to ensure a five-wicket victory.

Augustinians produced a much better batting performance than usual. Opener Hassan Ullah (73) and five other double-figure contributions pushed its score to 181 all out, Gareth Walker taking 4-72 for the home team.

However Queensbury were in no mood to lose to the bottom-of-the-table team and contributions from Oliver Challis (81no) and Bradley Harrison (43) ensured a six-wicket win.

Greetland’s opening partnership of 127 at Stones between Paul Quarmby (76) and Kaiser Aslam (60) produced, as it turned out, enough runs to win.

Twenty wickets fell in the match as Greetland posted 190 all out – Gregory Baldwin taking 6-65.

The latter’s effort in the sun was sadly overshadowed by the demise of his colleagues as Greetland’s bowlers gave them no leeway and the were back in for just 67 – Mohammed Yousaf 5-32.

Luddendenfoot made up ground on inactive league leaders Low Moor HT, closing to within eight points following a seven-wicket win over Bradley & Colnebridge.