Bradford League: Robertshaw runs return Saints to the top three

Robertshaw plundered two sixes and 14 fours on his way to an impressive 133 as he helped his side to a total of 324-6in their 50 overs.

He was joined in a third-wicket stand of 156 by Barrie Frankland (70). There were also useful additions from Charlie Best (35) and Chris Marsden (32). Muhammad Shanawaz was the pick of the Batley bowlers with 4-63.

Batley were faced with a revised target of 279 from 40 overs and finished on 187-7. Mohammad Khan led the way with 86 as Josh Wilson (3-48) and Tom Hudson (3-21) ensured that St Lawrence secured the victory which took them back into third place.

Elsewhere, Townville recorded the first tie of the season against Cleckheaton after falling one short of victory under the Duckworth Lewis system. Batting first, Cleckheaton made 220-9 in their 50 overs with opener Nick Lindley making a superb 110, an innings containing five sixes and 11 fours.

Jack Hughes (4-35) and Conor Harvey (3-60) were the pick of the bowlers for Townville who were left with a difficult victory target of 177 from 36 overs. Hughes later top scored with 35 as Townville finished on 176-9 as Qaisar Ashraf (3-38) and Curtis Free (3-56) tried to force victory for Cleckheaton.

Woodlands suffered their second-successive defeat as they went down by six wickets to Bradford & Bingley in the third match decided by Duckworth Lewis. Paceman Jack Hartley caused problems for Woodlands as he took 6-85. Only a last-wicket stand of 61 between Elliot Richardson (39) and Jack McGahan (27no) enabled them to reach 165. Bradford & Bingley reached their revised target of 162 with one ball to spare thanks to Joe Greaves (43), Jack Edgar (39) and Gareth Phillips (31).

East Bierley’s Umar Yaqoob produced the Premier Division’s best bowling performance of the season. He took 7-46 as his side bowled out Pudsey Congs for 114. Only skipper Babar Butt (39) resisted for long. East Bierley eased to victory by five wickets with Amar Rashid making 46no and Adal Islam (36). Josh Wheatley took 3-42 for Congs.

New Farnley ended their run of four defeats with a comfortable eight-wicket win over Lightcliffe. Opener Simon Lambert continued his good run of form with an unbeaten 66 as they cruised past the Lightcliffe total of 124. Spinner Luke Jarvis returned his best figures of the season, 5-12.

In Championship One, leaders Scholes maintained their impressive start to the season with a six-wicket win over Bowling Old Lane.

It was their sixth-successive win and takes them 18 points clear of second-placed Wrenthorpe who saw their match at Undercliffe abandoned when they had their opponents struggling at 35-4.

Opener Shoukat Ali again made an important contribution of 68 while Akbar Badshah chipped in with 36 as Scholes passed the Bowling Old Lane score of 148 with four wickets down.

Methley boosted their promotion challenge with a hard-earned two-wicket win over Bankfoot. Dan Shuffe (42), Marcus Walmsley (36) and Grant Soames (33) led the successful pursuit of Bankfoot’s 177-7 despite the efforts of former Yorkshire paceman James Lee (3-54).

Lee was also the top scorer with 36 for Bankfoot while Micky Hutchins made 34. as spinner Edward Walmsley (5-36) posed problems.

The result drops Bankfoot into the bottom two because Baildon defeated Ossett by 28 runs to record their first win of the season.

Skipper Simon Bailey continued his fine form with an outstanding all-round performance. After top scoring with 42 in his side’s score of 183, Bailey returned the stunning figures of 7-46 as Ossett were bowled out for 155.

Opener Zubair Raje was again the best of the Ossett batsmen with 85.

Paceman Matthew Dowse took 5-12 and skipper Oliver Halliday picked up 4-16 as Morley bowled out Yeadon for 58 to secure a 121-run win.

Richard Jubb (48) top scored for Morley and Sangeeth Cooray (32) in a Morley total of 179-8.

Half centuries from skipper Graham Hilton (72) and Richard Wear (55) helped Gomersal to 236-6 as they defeated Birstall by 41 runs.

Craig Wood took 4-79 for Birstall and followed up with the top score of 40 in his side’s 195-8. Spinner Adam Greenwood took 4-35 for Gomersal.

In Championship Two, Mohammad Khan is proving a shrewd signing for Hartshead Moor after making a sparkling 112 in their 32-run win over Idle.

The former Cleckheaton player, now in his second spell at Hartshead Moor struck a six and 15 fours as he helped his sided to 242-7.

Former Yorkshire seamer Iain Wardlaw hit 36 and picked up 3-44 as Idle were dismissed for 210. Daniel Squire gave him good support with 3-28 as Quadratullah Azizi top scored with 70 for Idle.

Hartshead Moor are 28 points clear of Northowram Fields, seven-wicket winners over Buttershaw St Paul’s.

An unbeaten 71 from Ben Grech saw them pass St Paul’s score of 140 in which Ben Platt made 55. John Bennett Keer (3-28), Ashton Richardson (3-31) and Bradley Drake (3-66) did the damage.

Skipper Andy Wear struck 17 boundaries in a fine knock of 103 as Keighley defeated Brighouse by seven wickets.

Wear was joined in an opening stand of 166 by Luke Chapman (52) as Brighouse’s score of 197-8 was chased down.

The Brighouse innings contained half centuries for Sohail Hussain (65) and Khurram Maqsood (51). James Rogers (3-37) and Nathan Storton (3-53) were the pick of the bowlers.

Altofts are fourth after bowling out Spen Victoria for 78 and cruising to a seven-wicket win. Arkam Asif(4-15) and Callam Nuttall (3-20) impressed with the ball before Luke Whitmore (37no) sped his side to victory.

Hunslet Nelson certainly seem to have found a cure for the batting blues that afflicted them for much of last season. Andrew McIntosh made 74 and Jack Scanlon (42) as they made 210-5 on their way to a 49-run win over Liversedge.

Graham Winn’s 46 was the highlight of Liversedge’s 161 as Joe Schofield (4-17) and Derrick Hammill (3-43) wrapped things up for Nelson.

Carlton opener Chris Wynd carried his bat in their total of 205-5 to finish agonisingly on 99 not out. Adam Hayton chipped in with 41. Any disappointment he felt will have been tempered by his side’s 31-run win.

Nick Busby took 4-63 as Mills were bowled out for 4-63. Bobby Drake top scored with 34 after earlier taking 3-66.