Bradford League: Centuries for Eric Austin and Josh Haynes as Birstall hold onto top spot

The highest score of the day in the division saw Birstall achieve a 73-run win over Keighley to stay 10 points clear of Ossett at the top.

Veteran Austin made an unbeaten 153, including 21 fours and three sixes in his brilliant 147-ball innings, while Haynes smashed four sixes and 14 fours as he also made a superb century, hitting 121 from 129 deliveries.

Birstall ended on 329-4 before bowling Keighley out for 256 with Haynes again performing well in taking 5-33 with his left arm spin. Brad Lay also claimed 3-26.

Spinners Max Chappell (5-64) and Matthew Varley (3-51) helped second-placed Ossett to bowl out Hartshead Moor for 193 to complete a 44-run win.

Abhishek Paradkar (57), Craig Field (44) and Nick Ward (36) were the top scorers for Hartshead Moor who had earlier become the first side to incur a six-run penalty for failing to bowl their 50 overs in three hours, 30 minutes.

The penalty helped swell the Ossett total to 237-8 despite 4-69 from Paradkar.

Ben Walter smashed 10 sixes and seven fours in a knock of 102 for East Bierley, but he ended up on the losing side in their derby with Gomersal.

Despite his powerful 53-ball knock and 42 from skipper Adam Brown, Bierley’s total of 253 was chased down by Gomersal as they secured a four-wicket victory.

A fifth wicket partnership of 113 between Andy Gorrod (78, with 12 fours and two sixes) and Richard Wear (56no, including 10 boundaries), proved decisive after openers Graham Hilton (34) and Liam Fletcher (31) had provided a solid base for Gomersal, whose best bowlers had been Jonathan Boynton (3-33) and Chris Rhodes (3-70).

Spen Victoria came out on top in a low scoring Division Two game at neighbours Scholes for their first victory of the season.

With Waqar Mahmood taking 4-16 and two wickets each for Abid Awan, Amjad Tariq and Muhammad Ullah, Scholes were bowled out for 109, Omar Hussain (23) and Neil Kellett (23) top scoring.

Spen also saw wickets tumble in their reply, but squeezed home to win with two wickets to spare as skipper Bilal Ejaz (35no) and Awan (16no) led them home.

Ali Rafiq took 4-18 for Scholes and Sikander Mahmood 3-20.

Hopton Mills went down by 32 runs to Sandal as they were kept to 168-8 despite 75 from Ashley Mackereth, who hammered seven sixes and seven fours.

Sandal had made 200 with Michael Carroll taking 5-56 and Andy Grey 4-48.

Liversedge climbed off the bottom of Division Three when they finally got off the mark with their first league win of 2021 at the expense of Rodley.

A 17-run success was achieved after Will Atkin (36) and James Lunn (31) helped Liversedge to a total of 175.

Rodley were bowled out for 158 in reply with Samar Farooq taking 4-28.

At the other end of the table leaders Brighouse remain five points clear following their 76-run win over Crossbank Methodists.

Arshad Jan (3-71) and Mohammad Hassan (3-47) plugged away for Crossbank, but the table toppers were able to post a 287-9 total.

Crossbank made 211 in reply, James Colbourn top scoring with 55, including 12 fours, and Jan (36) and Imran Patel (21no) putting on 59 for the last wicket.

Despite 47 from Asah Ejaz and 34 by Chris Allen, Heckmondwike & Carlinghow were all out for 177 to fall 71 runs short against East Leeds.

Ben Wilkinson’s unbeaten 78 helped propel the Leeds side to 248-8 with Waqas Asaad taking 3-34.