Woodlands inched closer to their fourth consecutive Premier Division title as they handed Bankfoot a seven-wicket defeat, leaving them requiring an additional 34 points from their final four matches.
This outcome pushed Bankfoot into the lower ranks, once again revealing the consequences of their meagre batting display. They were dismissed for a mere 77 runs, with spinners Kez Ahmed (4-8) and Brad Schmulian (3-28) being the primary architects of their downfall.
Anticipating potential weather disruptions, Woodlands decided not to take any chances and once again positioned Muhammad Bilal as the opener. This tactical move paid off handsomely, with his swift 37 runs contributing to their 16th victory of the season.
Pudsey St Lawrence clinched a four-wicket triumph in their local rivalry match against Pudsey Congs. They restricted the hosts to a total of 140 runs, with opener Callum Oliver amassing 59 runs. However, the later batting order struggled significantly as spinners Archie Scott (4-36) and Luke Patel (3-22) took command.
St Lawrence owed their victory to the efforts of opener Mark Robertshaw (52) and Scott (37), who ensured their successful pursuit.
The one silver lining for Congs emerged from the fact that the four bonus points they earned enabled them to surpass Bankfoot and escape the lower tier.
For the bottom-placed team, Hanging Heaton, the afternoon turned out to be disheartening once again, as they were bowled out for a paltry 54 runs, resulting in an 85-run loss to Ossett. Pakistani paceman Junaid Khan (6-22) and James Wade (4-28) dismantled their batting line-up.
Batting first, Ossett managed to score 139 runs. Sajith Warnakulasuriya’s explosive performance included four sixes, propelling him to the top score of 30. Mustafa Rafique (3-27) and James Byrne (3-33) stood out as the most effective bowlers.
At Red Lane, a thrilling climax unfolded as New Zealander Cam Fletcher bid farewell with an unbeaten 74-run innings, guiding his team to a last-moment, four-wicket victory with two balls to spare.
Chasing a revised target of 197 runs in 43 overs under the DLS method, Fletcher and former Farsley player Adam Ahmed (47) emerged as the heroes against a resolute bowling attack. Joe Holderness distinguished himself with figures of 4-50.
Farsley had posted a total of 178-7, with Joe Pocklington (54), Ben Wright (49), and Dan Revis (33) leading the charge. Spinner Gurman Randhawa impressed with 3-60.
In another encounter, Jer Lane overcame Bradford & Bingley, the finalists of the Gordon Rigg Priestley Cup, by 36 runs at Park Avenue. Cosmond Walters contributed 53 runs to the home team’s total of 192-4. Later, Kyme Tahirkheli’s 4-60 performance against his former club resulted in Bradford & Bingley being bowled out for 176 runs while pursuing a DLS target of 213.
Townville comfortably secured an eight-wicket victory against Methley, a side that had slipped down the rankings in recent weeks. A partnership of 102 runs between Jonny Booth (68) and Abdul Wahid (43) allowed Townville to chase down a DLS target of 156 runs.
Yasir Ali’s knock of 49 runs was the highest for Methley, who managed a total of 196 runs. Among the Townville bowlers, Harry Clewett (3-62) and Jack Hughes (3-65) were the standout performers.
