Sunday, September 5

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Division One

Pudsey Congs have timed their challenge for the league title to perfection.

They hit the front for the first time after a s convincing 89-run win over defending champions Baildon.

And with neighbours Pudsey St Lawrence suffering a seven-run defeat at Woodlands it means they are poised to win their sixth title in 11 seasons.

Congs lead the table by six points from Bradford & Bingley with just one game to go – an away match against bottom team Bankfoot – on Saturday.

Baring a major mishap it looks as if Congs' stalwarts Matthew Doidge, and Mark Bray will get the perfect send off when they bring down the curtain on their distinguished Bradford League careers next Saturday.

Once again the power of the Congs' batting served them well, Andrew Bairstow (70), Adam Patel (60), Matthew Doidge (60) and Babar Butt (57) powered them to 265-8, then skipper Glenn Roberts (4-28) and Alex Hewitt (3-21) bowled out Baildon for 176 to seal an 89-run win.

Sovereign Health Care Priestley Cup winners Bradford & Bingley would now appear to be the only realistic challengers to Pudsey Congs - just as they were back in 2000 when Congs won the first of their five league championships.

Like Congs, Bradford & Bingley picked up a maximum 20 points as they defeated Bankfoot by 134 runs.

Opener Simon Davies was the cornerstone of Bradford & Bingley's 301-4 with 118no while Chris Thompson (71no), again provided the fireworks.

Davies struck a six and 15 fours, while Thomps0n hit two sixes and nine fours as he followed up his 120 not out against Baildon 24 hours earlier with another powerful innings. Naweed Gharny (49) was the other main contributor while Greg Colehan took all of the wickets to fall as he returned figures of 4-54.

Bankfoot were dismissed for 167 as off spinner Matthew Cockshott took 4-20. The top scorer for Bankfoot was Andrew Duckworth, who made 62.

Former Yorkshire batsman Scott Richardson made an unbeaten 113 as Woodlands bounced back from two successive defeats to beat Pudsey St Lawrence by seven runs and effectively kill off their title hopes.

Richardson stroked three sixes and 14 fours in a patient innings which enabled Woodlands to make 198-6.

St Lawrence looked to be on course for victory as they reached 148-2 with half centuries from Chris Marsden (59) and Alex Stead (50). They needed 51 from 13 overs, but appeared to panic and lost five wickets to finish on 191-9

Having set the pace for much of the season the defeat is a real sickener for St Lawrence.

East Bierley maintained their hold on fourth place with a three-wicket win at Gomersal. Skipper Lee Goddard (70) and Andrew Rennison (37) helped their side to overcome Gomersal' total of 211-8.

For Gomersal, who were playing their last game of the season, were indebted to Adam Greenwood (66no) for helping them recover from 29-4 to make 211-8.

Farsley’s West Indian all-rounder Lorenzo Ingram was the day's third centurion. He smashed an unbeaten 112 as they beat Cleckheaton by five wickets - a result that confirms their Division One status and relegates Yeadon.

Ingram's innings contained two sixes and 13 fours and he was joined in an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 117 by Barry Frankland (47no) as Farsley eased past Cleckheaton's total of 229-6 with nine balls to spare.

John Wood (63), Mally Nicholson (48), Ian Nicholson (36) and Mark Cummins (35), were the main contributors for Cleckheaton while James Lee (3-61) was the pick of the Farsley bowlers.

Relegated Saltaire followed up their spirited performance against Pudsey Congs by defeating a Yeadon side who will be joining them in Division Two next season.

Tom Hudson's 64 was the key feature of Saltaire's innings of 176. Hudson hit nine fours as his colleagues experience problems against the bowling of Andrew Robertson (5-51).

Yeadon were dismissed for 145 despite a battling 55 from skipper Grant Soames. Nadeem Mohammed (3-23) and Ijaz Khan (3-29) bowled Saltaire to victory.