Bradford Cricket League: Promoted Ossett clinch Division One title in style

It was also fitting that all-rounder Marcus Walmsley should be the star performer as he crowned his excellent first season for the club following his move from Methley.

Walmsley made an unbeaten 101, hitting 10 fours and four sixes along the way, and he shared in an opening stand of 128 with George Heartfield (53) before getting good support from Sri Lankan Rishin Patabedgige (60no) as Baildon’s score of 221-8 was surpassed.

Walmsley (3-70) was also the pick of the Ossett bowlers.

Wrenthorpe will play alongside Ossett in the Premier Division next year after securing their place despite a 150-run defeat to Hanging Heaton.

They ran into a superb knock from Nick Connolly, who was playing his last game for Heaton before moving to become Ossett’s captain next season and hit an unbeaten 177 with nine sixes and 18 fours.

In reply to Heaton’s massive 373-5, Wrenthorpe slumped to 55-5 before Al-Mustafa Rafique (87) and Joe Wigglesworth (67) added 139 for the sixth wicket to make a game of it. They were all out for 223, however.

In Division Two, East Ardsley followed up an emphatic nine-wicket victory over Wakefield St Michael’s with a five- wicket win over Bowling Old Lane on Sunday.

After bowling out St Michael’s for 153 with Ben Smith taking 4-57, Ardsley cruised to victory as Peter Bowles (76no) and Simon Tucker (46no) brought them home.

Old Lane posted a 189-8 total in Sunday’s game with two wickets each for Jonathan Macgregor, Adam Pearson, Ashley Pearson and Louie Hurley.

Hurley (66no) then saw Ardsley home with support from Tucker (36) and Bowles (32) and victory in their last game will see the team earn promotion.

Sandal beat Spen Victoria by six wickets as Brandon Hewlett (51), Will Henshall (44) and Kristian Shuttleworth (30no) enabled them to chase down a 190 score.

Sam Noden (3-51) and Hewlett (3-54) were the pick of the Sandal bowlers.

Sandal recorded their second win of the weekend when they defeated Scholes, also by six wickets. Openers Leighton Shuttleworth (53) and Danny Riley (46) were backed up by Karl Hewitt (36) as a 158 total was overhauled. Hewlett picked up 4-33.

Altofts lost both their games in Division Three over the weekend, going down by 112 runs to Adwalton and by 22 runs to Rodley.

In the first of the matches Adwalton piled up 301-7 despite 3-84 from Alfie Oliver.

Altofts were all out for 189, Dominic Richardson (60) top scoring and 38 from Elliott Carter.

Altofts found themselves up against it once more on Sunday when Rodley posted 307-7.

They had a good go at getting the big target, but were all out for 285 with skipper Jordan Carter hitting 76 and good efforts also coming from Sam Denison (62) and Adam Perry (56)