BOTTOM team Scholes recorded only their second win of the season in the Bradford Premier League Championship One as they defeated East Bierley by two wickets to keep alive their hopes of avoiding a second-successive relegation.

Teenage spinner Jade Roberts was the star turn with 5-43 as East Bierley were bowled out for 130, Gulsheraz Ahmed top scoring with 33.

Scholes were made to fight hard for their victory as Umar Farooq (3-20) and Rizwan Ali (3-31) produced tight spells, but Sikander Mahmood’s knock of 31 helped them edge home.

Leaders Batley continued their winning run with a 75-run win over Pudsey Congs. Their in-form bowlers Muhammad Shahnawaz (5-32) and Tariq Hussain (3-13) wrapped up the victory by bowling out Congs for 77.

Overseas player Sami Ullah had earlier demonstrated his value to the Batley side with an unbeaten 67 which, along with 36 from opener Roheil Hussain, helped them post a score of 152.

They were the two batsmen to counter the threat of Yasir Ali (6-34) and young spinner Sam Wasniewski (3-53).

Batley now have an 18-point lead because their two closest challengers, Bankfoot and Morley, both lost close encounters.

Bankfoot went down by two runs to improving Hartshead Moor, while Morley went down by one wicket against Gomersal.

Overseas player Ali Shan made the game’s decisive contribution with the bat. He made 70 and was easily the game’s top scorer as he helped his side to 145 in the face of good bowling from spinner Andrew Stothart (5-49) and Jawad Waheed (4-27).

The value of Shan’s runs became clear when Bankfoot were pegged back by Josh Tingle (5-51) and Mohammad Khan (3-21) as they were bowled out for 143.

Morley’s decision to bat first was something they soon came to regret when they were bowled out for just 105. Only Oliver Halliday (48) posed a threat as Richard Wear (4-16) and Chris Rhodes (3-19) got to work.

It looked as if Morley had got themselves off the hook when they reduced Gomersal to 87-9, but Rhodes (16no) dominated a last-wicket stand of 20 with Chris Greenwood to see his side home.

Baildon climbed above Pudsey Congs into fourth place after a 14-run win over relegation-threatened Wakefield St Michael’s.

Skipper Jonny Reynolds (93no), opener Will Grace (61) and Blair Oakley (40) enabled Baildon to secure maximum batting points with a total of 228-4.

St Michael’s made a spirited reply with Cavan Connolly (59) and Ollie Lightfoot (39) showing the sort of effort that could still get their side out of trouble. Aussie Oakley (5-48) was the pick of the Baildon bowlers.

St Michael’s will have their sights on Keighley and East Bierley, who are just 19 and 20 points ahead of them respectively.

Keighley’s slide down the table continued with a six-wicket defeat at Ossett. Half-centuries from opener Oliver Newton (67) and an unbeaten 55 from Jack McGahan were backed up by important contributions from Joe Finnigan (36no) and Chris Hosley (35) as Keighley’s total of 215 was overhauled.

Nathan Storton’s knock of 63 was the highlight of a Keighley innings in which Ossett skipper Dan Busfield picked up 4-46.