Bradford Cricket League Division Three witnessed an exceptional display of batting prowess as opener Corey Roebuck powered Spen Victoria to a resounding 154-run victory over Windhill & Daisy Hill. Roebuck’s scintillating knock of 151, comprising of one six and an impressive 22 fours, proved to be the cornerstone of Spen Victoria’s commanding total of 247-9. Shoaib Iqbal (3-79) emerged as the main threat for Windhill & Daisy Hill.
In their pursuit of victory, Windhill & Daisy Hill succumbed to the left-arm bowling brilliance of James Russell, who claimed remarkable figures of 6-47. Russell found ample support from Mohammad Hassan, who chipped in with a valuable contribution of 3-14. As a result, Windhill & Daisy Hill crumbled, mustering a mere 93 runs before being bowled out.
With this emphatic win, Spen Victoria ascended to the top of the league standings, dethroning Scholes, who suffered a disheartening 65-run defeat at the hands of the rapidly improving Wakefield St Michael’s.
The Australian duo of James Chapple (58) and Syed Bukhari (43) guided St Michael’s to a respectable total of 224-9. In response, Scholes faltered, eventually getting dismissed for 159, with Joe Duffy top-scoring with 53. Kashif Najam (5-22) and Nazakat Hussain (3-53) orchestrated Scholes’ downfall with their impressive bowling display.
Great Preston continued their upward trajectory by clinching a 25-run victory over promotion hopefuls Altofts. The standout performance came from Chris Aplin, who wreaked havoc with the ball, claiming exceptional figures of 7-54. Hayden Mortimer (55), Oli Baron (54), Sam Wright (51), and Richard White’s unbeaten 34 propelled Great Preston to a competitive total of 212. Despite Jacques Porter’s valiant 36, Altofts succumbed to Aplin’s brilliance and were bowled out for 187.
In a jubilant moment for the league’s bottom team, Brighouse secured their first victory of the season by defeating East Leeds by seven wickets. Inspired by Mobeen Qureshi’s 4-19 and Nakul Balasubramaniam’s 4-26, Brighouse restricted East Leeds to a paltry 111. Mohammad Bajwa (45) and Balasubramaniam (41 not out) then steered Brighouse to a comfortable win, reaching their target with ease.
Gildersome & Daisy Hill emerged triumphant in their clash against local rivals Adwalton, securing an impressive 146-run victory. Nasir Shah (56), Syed Shah (53), Josh Sturgess (42), and Sayed Salman (37) were the chief contributors to Gildersome & Farnley Hill’s imposing total of 276. Despite the commendable efforts of Tom Davidson (5-56) and Imran Patel (4-57), Adwalton faltered, managing a meager 130 runs in their response, with Muhammad Shah (4-46) and Sayed Salman (3-25) wreaking havoc with the ball.
The Bradford Cricket League Division Three continues to provide exhilarating cricket action, with teams battling it out for the coveted top spots and promotion.
