Abbas produces blistering onslaught as Hopton Mills secure vital victory

Umar Abbas hit 99 off just 47 balls to help Hopton Mills defeat Northowram Fields.

Hopton Mills are 17 points clear of second-bottom side Brighouse with two games remaining after they recorded an impressive 34-run win over fourth placed Northowram Fields.

Umar Abbas smashed 88 runs in boundaries as he made an unbeaten 99 from just 47 balls, including 10 sixes and seven fours.

Opener Jordan Graven had earlier made 67 which helped Mills to an impressive total of 297-, with Jason Smith (4-46)pick of the bowlers.

Northowram were dismissed for 262, with number nine Ashton Richardson hitting 63, as Michael Carroll picked up 5-81.

With two games to go, Brighouse are now the only side who can catch Hopton Mills after they earned a surprise win over second placed Altofts.

Opener Asad Mahmood hit a stunning 141 from 108 balls as Brighouse piled up 310-8 before they bowled Altofts out for 295.

Spen Victoria secured a 47-run derby win over Liversedge but they remain 25 points behind second-bottom Brighouse and can not now finish outside the bottom two.

Opener Ollie Davison (37) and Chris Allen (36) were Spen’s top scorers but they were bowled out for 146 as Asif Ali claimed 6-22.

Ben Davis (5-23) and Danny Cross (3-12) helped Spen defend their modest total bowling out Liversedge for 99 despite Ali following up his efforts with the ball, with a top score of 34.

Champions Hartshead Moor were forced to work hard for their two-wicket win at Carlton which leaves them 97 points clear at the top.

Captain Danny Squire (3-27) and Muhammad Khan (3-18) helped dismiss Carlton for 142 with Stephen Cooper (44) top scoring.

Hartshead looked to be cruising to another easy win while openers Ahsan Butt (44) and Khan (33) were at the crease, but Joshua Thurwell (6-39) sparked a collapse and they lost eight wickets before edging home.

Altofts remain second, two points ahead of Hunslet Nelson, who were also beaten as they slipped to a 109-run defeat to Idle .

Overseas player Deron Greaves smashed 106 from 103 balls, including three sixes and 13 fours as Idle posted 238.

Arbaab Hussain (67) shared a third-wicket stand of 164 with Greaves, while Patrick Hinchliffe (3-56) and Derrick Hammill (3-68) led the way with the ball for Nelson.

Harry Duke top scored with 47 as Nelson were bowled out for 129, with Salman Khan (3-37), Quadratullah Azizi (3-27) and Parvas Khan (3-22) doing most of the damage.

There was a close finish at Keighley where Buttershaw St Paul’s won by six runs.

Openers Kevin McDermott (96) and Jonathan Burston (46) set the tone for the St Paul’s innings with a stand of 110.

Tosh Baker built on their good work with an unbeaten 55 which boosted the total to 224-5, which saw Australian Travis Nightingale take 4-58.

Captain Andrew Wear (43) and Sam Murphy (35) were the top scorers as Keighley finished on 218-9.

Left-arm spinner Ben Platt took 5-59.