How trophy double winners New Farnley bounced back from Bradford League defeat to beat Townville in Priestley Cup final

They defeated Townville by 34 runs at Undercliffe on Sunday to lift the Gordon Rigg Bradford Premier League’s blue-riband competition.

New Farnley opted to bat but were in trouble at 34-3 before captain Lee Goddard (44) and wicketkeeper Dan Hodgson (22) added 43 for the fourth wicket.

All-rounder Grant Soames then scored 32 to take New Farnley to a total of 141 in 47.3 overs, but they never got to grips with Conor Harvey, who took 4-15 off his 9.3 overs, with Jack Hughes also his usual potent self with 3-29 off nine overs.

Townville lost key opener Jonny Booth without a run on the board but recovered with a stand of 62 for the second wicket between Athelbert Brathwaite (44) and Chris Grey, whose contribution was only six.

However, three wickets fell with the score on 62 and two more at 68 as New Farnley took a grip they never lost, despite a stand of 27 between Alex Page (20) and Harry Clewett (16).

Both Hughes and Harvey also scored ducks as Mark Lawson, who took 5-24 in the Heavy Woollen Cup final at Shepley, when Woodlands were defeated, was at it again, taking 6-32 this time.

Townville were dismissed for 107, with accurate left-arm spinner Gurman Randhawa bagging 3-19.

Meanwhile, what was a three-way battle for the Gordon Rigg Bradford Premier League Premier Division title is now a two-horse race after Townville defeated New Farnley to knock them out of the reckoning just 24 hours before their Priestley Cup final encounter. Harry Warwick scored 112 in their 298-8, hitting three sixes and 14 fours, and received useful support from Jonny Booth (53) and Jack Hughes (46).

Warwick added 109 for the second wicket with Booth and 93 for the third with Hughes, while Andrew Brewster took 4-55.

Conor Harvey (4-58) and Hughes (5-35) then cut a swathe through New Farnley, who were restricted to 167, giving Townville maximum points.

Woodlands took 19 points off Morley, with Muhammad Bilal continuing his seemingly one-legged assault after suffering a badly swollen ankle in the Heavy Woollen Cup final.

He scored 101 off a mere 37 balls – the quickest of the season so far in the league – crashing four fours and an incredible 13 sixes, to boost Woodlands’s score to 345-4, with captain Cieran Garner (51no) helping in an unbroken stand of 130.

Tim Jackson weighed in with 61, Tom Clee 36 and Liam Collins 83 before Morley made a creditable 204-8 in reply.

Henry Rush (46) and Kavindu Kulasekara (61) put on 97 for the third wicket, with Kez Ahmed bagging 4-68.

Woodlands, who are at New Farnley (300) next Saturday in their final match, have 336 points, while Townville (328) are at Batley (143), who are still likely to go down with Morley (144) as third-bottom Wrenthorpe are on 160.

Saltaire have won the Airedale & Wharfedale League Division One title with two matches left.

Their six-wicket defeat of visitors Bilton put them 41 points ahead of second-placed Rawdon with only 40 points available.

Mustahsan Ali Shah (4-17) was instrumental in restricting Bilton to 118 as they won the toss and opted to bat at Roberts Park, with Saltaire then taking 28 overs to overhaul that score, with Awaise Hussain being unbeaten on 59 at the close.

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