Moor steal marchon promotion rivals

Hartshead stole a march on their promotion rivals last Saturday when they managed to complete their game against Idle and collected 15 points.

Teenage spinner Jack Baldwin claimed 4-31 and Martin Riley (3-19) as Moor dismissed Idle for 144.

With storm clouds gathering, Moor didn’t hang around as they knocked off the runs in 25.2 overs with opener Graham Hilton making an unbeaten 49 and Craig Field (31no) as they sealed an eight-wicket win.

Hartshead closed to within a point of Morley and are five adrift of Baildon after a six-wicket derby victory over Gomersal 24 hours later.

Nathan Madden (4-11) and George Saville (3-16) helped dismiss Gomersal for 116, despite 58 not out from Jonathan Boynton, before Moor cruised to victory with Danny Squire finishing unbeaten on 32, despite left-arm spinner Chris Rhodes claiming 3-28.

Rhodes previously claimed 3-28, identical figures to Sunday, as Great Horton were restricted to 173-9 before rain halted play in Saturday’s game.

Baildon moved up to second place on Sunday after overcoming a huge scare to beat Spen Victoria.

George Deegan (3-6), Rob Burton (3-26) and Craig Woodhead (3-39) bowled impresive spells as Baildon were dismissed for 98 but they were then bowled out for 69 in reply as Sohail Raz (4-32), Mushtaq Ahmed (3-9) and Craig Hitchenor (3-23) shone.

Spen bowlers also impressed on Saturday as they had Bowling Old Lane reeling on 38-5, with Burton claiming 3-23, before overseas player Devraj Patil made a battling 69 not out to guide them to 127-6. Spen were 1-1 when play was abandoned.

Rain decimated last Saturday’s Division One programme as all six matches failed to finish.

East Bierley claimed maximum batting points as they hit the day’s biggest score of 251-6 thanks to the efforts of opener Gavin Hamilton and Andrew Rennison who both made 68.

Captain Lee Goddard, Division One’s leading runscorer, chipped in with 33, while Gareth Clough (3-52) was the leading Lawrence bowler.

Bierley reduced St Lawrence to 53-3 in reply before heavy rain thwarted their efforts.

Bierley have closed the gap on second placed St Lawrence to three points, while they are a further 26 adrift of leaders Woodlands, whose game at Bradford & Bingley was abandoned after 16.2 overs, during which time the home side reached 69-2.

Cleckheaton’s game at Pudsey Congs was abandoned 4.2 overs into the second innings.

Yorkshire paceman Iain Wardlaw claimed 3-67 but Congs posted 226-7 as Nick Lindley top scored with 66, supported by former Cleckheaton man Eddie Walmsley (50) and Richie Lamb (34no).

Hanging Heaton’s trip to Saltaire was washed out after 34 overs, with the visitors 129-8, of which Ismail Dawood had made 51.