Woodlands make last eight after a close encounter

Holders Woodlands kept alive their hopes of a hat-trick of Gordon Rigg Priestley Shield wins by clinching their place in the last eight with a nail-biting four-wicket win over Pudsey St Lawrence.

Matty Long (91), who played a key role as Buttershaw St Paul’s won last season’s Gordon Rigg Jack Hampshire Cup, was supported by Jack Bleazard (60) and Rob Medcalf (44no) as St Lawrence’s score of 242-9 was chased down with four balls to spare.

Adam Frost took 3-24 for St Lawrence who had earlier built their challenging total around the efforts of Jonty Mighall (72), Liam Phillips (55), Brian Devine (42) and David Heslop (35). Cieran Garner was the best of the Woodlands bowlers with 3-61.

Opener Jack Sykes hit the day’s highest individual score of 152 as last season’s beaten finalists Townville defeated Bankfoot by 190 runs. Sykes peppered the boundary at regular intervals as he hit five sixes and 18 fours. Alfie McMillan (53) gave good support as the Division One side posted 289 against their Premier Division opponents. Bankfoot could only manage 99 in reply with Niall Charles taking 4-22.

Another opening batman in good form was New Farnley’s Jonny Phillips. He struck a six and 15 fours while making 103no as the 2019 winners recorded an eight-wicket win at Hanging Heaton. Phillips was joined by Max Chaplin (45) in an opening stand of 126 before Mark Lawson chipped in with 32 as the home side’s score of 209-6 was chased down with 5.1 overs to spare.

Former New Farnley skipper Craig Russell (53no) and Bradley Wood (46) were the main contributors for Hanging Heaton as Lawson returned figures of 3-17 from his eight overs.

Premier Division champions Jer Lane, who were beaten semi-finalists last year, eased to a seven-wicket victory over a Morley side currently second in the top division. Farakh Hussain blasted 76 before Imran Mirza (43no) and Adnan Mahmood (40no) completed the job of passing the visitors’ score of 191-6. Opener Aryan Singh (55) and Alex Kennedy (55no) were their top scorers.

Division Three side Crossflatts recorded the day’s highest total of 304-6 as they defeated Division One outfit Undercliffe by 57 runs. Freddie Maddocks led the run spree at Intake Road with 106no. He hit one six and 15 fours and was joined in a fourth wicket stand of 165 by Nathan Bradbury (75). James Roper (53) added to the miser for the home bowlers.

Amaan Ali (42), Nick Sugden (37), James Smith (37) and Jaden Webster (34) led the Undercliffe reply of 247-8. Charlotte Boulton (3-34) and Stephen Broughton (3-57) were the key bowlers.

Yeadon kept alive their hopes of reaching this year’s final which will be staged on their White Swan Ground with a hard-earned 10-run win over Keighley.

Simeon Pickering (94), Asad Khan (41), Patrick Parker (38) and Seth Pickering (35) enabled them to male 275-8 when they batted first. Lucas Keslinke (3-36) was the best bowler for Keighley who responded with 265-9. Jamie Wilmshurst (82), Noah Thirkill (52) and Hammy Shahzad (39) led the Keighley run chase but the task of getting 14 from the final over proved too much for them at the end of a close-fought game.

Lightcliffe secured their quarter-final place with a seven-wicket win at Pudsey Congs which was secured with nine balls to spare. Yusuf Malik (88) and Will Leach (38) helped Lightcliffe overhaul the home side’s score of 168-7. Bilal Butt (41) and Hassan Butt (37) were their top scorers as Conor Butterworth picked up 3-17.

Division One side Cleckheaton overcame the 2021 beaten finalists Farsley by 32 with Richard Noble (56) and Ian Carradice (38) helping them to make 205-7 before restricting the Red Lane outfit to 173-8. James Hoyland (50) and Jamie Blackburn (34) were their top scorers.

The draw for the quarter finals will be published on the league website at 7.30pm on Monday evening.