Bradford League: Spirited defence delights Farnley captain Goddard

Showcasing their talent on their day has never been in doubt at Lawns Lane, but their winning mentality and ability to successfully battle it out and triumph has been at times.

Which is why Saturday’s hard-fought 20-run victory over Townville was so pleasing for captain Lee Goddard.

Opening, Farnley reached 214-7, with contributions coming from Martin Andersson (44), Joe Bedford (36) and close-season arrival Alex Lilley (35).

They then defended that total with spirit with Townville dismissed for 194 in reply, with Simon Lambert (5-23) excelling and James Middlebrook chipping in with 3-61. Townville’s best were Jonathan Booth (50), Jack Hughes (42) and Brayden Clark (41).

Farnley’s well-being was subsequently enhanced at the end following the news of champions Hanging Heaton’s surprise four-wicket loss to Farsley, with New Farnley having drawn level on points at the top with the Tewits.

Goddard said: “The thing that has pleased me the most was the way we beat Townville. In years gone by, we might have collapsed a little bit and not had that fighting spirit to bring us back into the game.

“There is a real sense of belief this year that we have got the team and the tactics and know-how to get through tough situations.

“It has been a decent start. We recruited well over the winter with a couple of experienced guys and we could not really have asked for a better start.

“The best side wins the league over the course of the season and Hanging Heaton have set that bar quite high over the past year. We are up there on merit and we absolutely want to be challenging those guys for the league.”

Heaton suffered a surprise loss to Farsley, who shrugged aside their defeat on the previous weekend to Scholes to prevail at Red Lane.

Opening, Heaton toiled to 164-9, mainly thanks to some late resistance from Josh Holling (42no) after slumping to 87-8 – James Logan took 4-44 for the Rams. Replying, Farsley’s knock was spearheaded by Joe Greaves (57) as they triumphed by four wickets at 165-6.

Pudsey St Lawrence are just a point behind Heaton and Farnley after inflicting more pain upon anguished cellar dwellers East Bierley by virtue of a heavy 117-run success.

James Smith hit a belligerent 69 as St Lawrence opened with 233-8, with Charlie Best hitting 44.

Bierley were then back in the showers for 116, with spinners Steve Watts (4-35) and Tom Hudson (4-43) in the wickets.

Kyme Tahirkeli struck his maiden league ton with an impressive show to help Bradford and Bingley claim their first league win of 2018 after holding sway in a run-chase against Cleckheaton at Moorend.

The hosts opened with a confident 250-9, with overseas Tayyab Tahir again looking the part with a fine 126, his second century of the season.

His 86-ball knock contains eight sixes and 14 fours.

But Tahirkeli then took centre stage with a similarly top-notch, which featured seven sixes and 14 fours.

Captain Matthew Duce also weighed in with a key 40 as B&B came home at 252-5.

Liam Collins (69no), Mohammed Bilal (4-56) and Elliot Richardson (3-44) helped fourth-placed Woodlands (219) beat Methley (181) by 38 runs.

Marcus Walmsley (4-59) and debutant Adam Patel caught the eye for Methley.

Openers Alex Stead (70) and Josh Wheatley (56) put on 129 as Lightcliffe (166-3) eased past Scholes (162-8) by seven wickets, with Wheatley following up with 4-34.

****

A MAGICAL bowling performance from Matthew Dowse earned star billing as Championship leaders Morley accounted for basement club Hartshead Moor by 77 runs.

Opening, Morley were dismissed for a below-par 134, only for Dowse to assume the limelight with a magnificent haul of 9-18 in 13.5 overs as Moor’s batting subsided yet again.

Dowse took the first six wickets then captain Ollie Halliday got in on the act before Dowse had the final say by taking the last three victims.

Earlier, ex-Yorkshire man Iain Wardlaw had taken 5-30 for Moor, who remain anchored to the foot of the table.

Morley are nine points clear of Undercliffe (239-5), who thrashed Yeadon (93) by 146 runs with their leading lights being overseas Khalid Usman (60no and 4-28), captain Scott Etherington (51), Craig Wiseman (4-30).

Third-placed Wrenthorpe saw off Gomersal (186) comfortably, mainly thanks to an unbroken fourth-wicket partnership of 94 between James Glynn (59no) and Mehran Ibrahim (44).

Jack Seddon top-scored with 50 for Gomersal, with Jonathan Rudge taking 5-57 for victorious Wrens.

A dramatic tie saw honours even between Ossett (232-8) and Baildon (232-9).

Ex-Baildon man Ian Philliskirk (74) top-scored for Ossett, while stand-in captain and opener Jack Hainsworth hit a fine 100 for Baildon, with Ossett captain Dan Busfield collecting 5-73.

Bankfoot slipped to second bottom after a 16-run home reverse to Batley (216), whose chief contributors were Usama Sacha (42no), Hazaifah Patel (3-35) and Muhammad Shahnawaz (3-47).

Jawad Waheed made a battling 55 for the home side but they fell short of their target as they were bowled out for 200.

Pudsey Congs won a thrilling game with Hunslet Nelson which produced 592 runs. Any thoughts that Congs might have had that their total of 304-5 was unasailable were put to rest as Nelson made a spirited 288.

Mark Murphy led their reply with a fine 121 which contained 19 fours, and he was joined in a fifth-wicket stand of 145 by Danny Cross, who hit 91.

Congs had built their highest total of the season around the contributions of Ashley Slater (82), skipper Max Backhouse (70) and Barney Gibson (51no).