Bradford Cricket League: Altofts hold nerve to edge thriller but Great Preston go top

Visitors Altofts won by six runs, but they were made to fight hard for their success as Scholes only narrowly failed to chase down their revised target of 214 in 25 overs.

Christian Jackson (69) and Adam Greenwood (35) led the pursuit, but the innings ended on 207-6 with Altofts bowlers and fielders holding their nerve in the end. Saif Tahir, Luke Whitmore and Dominic Richardson took two wickets each.

Altofts’ innings had been cut off in its prime as they reached 161-1 in 25 overs when the rain initially came.

Richardson was left on 87no, having hit 13 fours and three sixes, while Jacques Porter was also looking good on 49no from 34 balls.

Another thriller in Division Three saw Wakefield St Michael’s indebted to their last wicket pair of Cavan Connolly and Waheed Ahmed as they edged home for a one-wicket victory over Gildersome & Farnley Hill.

They had looked in danger of defeat in the face of good bowling from Nasir Shah (6-51) when reduced to 107-9, chasing a revised target of 125 from 47 overs, but Connolly hit 13no and Ahmed 6no to get the Wakefield team over the line.

Lalit Mangalarapu had earlier contributed 27 and James Chapple 20.

St Michael’s bowlers did a good job as Nazakat Hussain (5-51) and Syed Bukhari (4-25) combined well to dismiss Gildersome & Farnley Hill for 125.

Great Preston are the new Division Three leaders, one point ahead of Altofts, after a three-wicket win over Windhill & Daisy Hill.

Ben Wilkinson (52) and Ethan Walker (43) powered them past their revised target of 144 in 21 overs.

Windhill had made 182-9 in 31 overs before the rain hit with Sam Holmes taking 4-22 and Lee Russell 4-47.

Townville were able to maintain their challenge in the Premier Division with a seven-wicket win a 22-over match with Bradford & Bingley.

Skipper Jack Hughes (3-30) led the way as Bradford & Bingley were all out for 104 with Conor Harvey, Tom Brook and Austin Humphrey taking two wickets each. Harvey then followed up by blasting an unbeaten 55 from 39 balls after being promoted up the order to three as Townville charged home in 15.1 overs. Abdul Wahid also hit 22.

Methley’s match against Farsley was abandoned without a ball being bowled after a storm left puddles on the outfield. They were able to play a day later against New Farnley, but lost by nine wickets to the title challengers after being bowled out for 122.

Skipper James Wainman battled to make 64, but only fellow opener Kris Ward (25) could give him much support.

Ossett were edged out in their Premier Division game against Pudsey Congs who had wicketkeeper Josh Bennett (53no), Richard Jubb (50) and Yohan Mendis (32) to thank for guiding them to their three-wicket success.

They were able to chase down a revised target of 233 from 42 overs despite 2-51 from Junaid Khan and 2-47 by Archie Houghton.

Ossett score of 227-7 from 42 overs was built around a second wicket stand of 154 between Matthew Race (97) and Rohan Mehmi (64), with the former hitting 12 fours and four sixes and the latter also managing 12 boundaries. Haseen Bashir chipped in with an unbeaten 33.

East Ardsley fell 137 runs short as they were set a big revised target of 282 in 36 overs against Gomersal in Division One.

Skipper Louie Hurley (36) top scored while Suraj Singh hit 28 and Josh Wild 23, but Ardsley were all out for 144.

Gomersal had reached 271-6 in 36 overs despite Suraj Singh taking 4-47.

Carton lost by six wickets to Undercliffe after they were only able to reach 88-6 in 21 overs with Kian Wade hitting 26no and Daniel Ford 25.

Underciffe easily reached their revised target of 100 in 21 overs despite 2-39 by Sana Ullah Khan.

The clash between Yeadon and Sandal was abandoned after just 9.4 overs with Sandal on 27-1.

Wrenthorpe’s woes continued as they went down by five wickets to Lightcliffe in Division Two.

Opener Isaac Dikgale made 30 as a target of 91 in 25 overs was achieved.

Aqeeb Khan (37) top scored and Hassan Abbas hit 29 when Wrenthorpe were dismissed for 120 by Redford Holdsworth (3-14), Peter Dobson (3-31) and Andrew Walker (3-62).​