Skipper James Smith praised team-mate Mark Robertshaw for his match-winning batting performance as Pudsey St Lawrence beat Cleckheaton by 59 runs in a high-scoring Bradford League Division One game at Moorend.

The left-handed opener scored an impressive 146 off 146 balls, including 21 fours and one six as Pudsey posted what proved to be an unassailable 304-8.

Robertshaw came within two balls of carrying his bat – he was out off the fourth ball of the last over, becoming spinner Edward Walmsley’s fifth victim – and Smith said: “Mark was the difference between the sides. He has got the temperament to build an innings like that. It is a shame he didn’t get his 150.”

When Robertshaw and Alex Stead (78) put on 160 for the first wicket in 31 overs, it looked as if St Lawrence might make up to 350. However, they lost seven wickets for 96 runs as Cleckheaton pegged them back in the last 13 overs, although Robertshaw stood firm while others fell around him to ensure that Cleckheaton were given a formidable hurdle to climb.

Captain John Wood, who had put Pudsey in to bat after winning the toss, promoted himself in the batting order as he took the fight to the visitors and he and fellow opener Mark Cummins gave Cleckheaton a bright start with 79 in 13 overs before Cummins was out when off spinner Chris Marsden joined the attack.

However, the crucial wicket was that of the skipper nine overs later.

Cleckheaton were going at the required rate of six an over as Wood and overseas all-rounder Ammar Mahmood put on 56 for the second wicket, when Wood, who had been dropped off a skier by Gareth Clough at deep mid-off, was caught on the cover boundary by Robertshaw at 135.

He hit seven fours and three sixes in his 72.

Then, when Mahmood was out 19 runs later, caught on the mid-wicket boundary by Dave Hester, Cleckheaton’s hopes faded.

The scoring rate fell as they lost wickets at regular intervals – five of them to off spinner Steve Watts – and their formidable target became ever more distant.

However, even though they couldn’t win, Cleckheaton made full use of the Bradford League points system by easily securing a fifth batting point as they closed on 245-9 to deny St Lawrence maximum bowling points.

Smith said: “The openers set the platform. We were patient at the start and then picked up the pace to build a big total. We lost our way a little bit but we have a deep batting line-up. It was a perfect match apart from not taking the last wicket, which would have given us another point.”

Frustrated Wood was convinced that Cleckheaton had dismissed Robertshaw early in his innings when a confident lbw appeal was turned down. “It was a massive decision and it cost us 140 runs,” he said.

“I went in as a pinch hitter, but I played a bad shot and our overseas player also played a poor shot. I felt 300 was an achievable score but after we were both out it was difficult for new batsmen to come in and score at that rate.”