Buttershaw St Paul’s maintained their recent Central Yorkshire League revival with a resounding seven-wicket victory at Scholes but, with only five weeks to go, they may have left it too late.

The Bradford side desperately needed a helping hand from leaders Hunslet Nelson, who took on a second-placed Mirfield Parish Cavaliers side holding an 11-point advantage over Buttershaw, but Parish eked out a nine-run win to maintain their own promotion push.

Despite that win, Parish look unlikely to overhaul the current 14-point deficit between them and a possible DIVISION ONE championship but they look to have done enough to hold off the challenge from Moorlands and Buttershaw.

It will doubtless be tough on a Buttershaw side who have looked more than capable of holding their own with the best at times this season.

Ian Carradice took 5-28 at Scholes and, with Paul Carroll and Chris Kellett picking up two wickets apiece, the home side had only Matthew Barnes (34) and Majid Majeed (38) in any sort of form as they closed on 159.

Naveed Bhatti (69no) and James Robson (47) saw Buttershaw comfortably home and Methley A are next up at Wibsey as they prepare to take the challenge to the wire.

Birstall have run into form at just the right time to ease relegation worries in the PREMIER DIVISION, with Townville the latest side to catch the backlash from Stewart Clifton’s underachievers.

Adam Walton hit a fine 88 for Townville but their 188 fell well short of a Conner Williams (74) and Clifton (58)-inspired 247-4 for Birstall and a top-half finish is now looking a possibility.

Unfortunately the same cannot be said of Liversedge, who are sinking ever closer to the drop. Their latest setback came against Wakefield Thornes as they were bowled out for just 109 on the way to an eight-wicket defeat.

At the top of the table, Wrenthorpe remain unbeaten in their quest for a spectacular haul of four trophies.

The Heavy Woollen Cup is already in the cabinet and after David Paynter (86 and 5-23) helped secure a 178-run win over Batley to keep them 18 points clear of second-placed New Farnley, they are only two games at most away from the Premier Division title.

In fact, if Wrenthorpe manage maximum points and a Jack Hampshire final victory in the two games at Methley this weekend, and New Farnley fail to take maximum from their game against Wakefield Thornes, two more of those trophies will be secured by Monday.