Bradford League: Unbeaten table toppers Great Preston involved in thrilling tie
Division Two leaders Great Preston failed to win for the first time this season, but did not lose either as they played out a thrilling tie with Bowling Old Lane in Division Two of the Bradford Cricket League.
Both sides were dismissed for 198 in a competitive contest that saw a number of twists and turns.
Old Lane were put in and their innings featured a good knock from opener Mehrban Khan (49) and valuable middle order contributions while Chris Aplin took 3-53, Imran Patel 3-23 and there were two wickets each for Willem Meintjes and James Conlon.
Great Preston looked set for victory with Oli Baron (82) and Jack McGahan (49) leading their response strongly. But a late collapse saw the last four wickets fall for 13 runs as they were unable to get over the line. Shoaib Iqbal was the pick of the Old Lane bowlers with 4-44.
Despite the result Preston still stayed at the top of the division, eight points ahead of Keighley.
Elsewhere in Division Two Streethouse were frustrated by rain with their game against neighbours Altofts intriguingly poised.
Altofts piled up 252 thanks to Shamsullah Dost (69), Richard Vigars (50) and late contributions from Joshua Morris (38) and Craig Wood (24).
Streethouse, for who Ben Brown (4-44) had impressed with the ball, were responding positively in reaching 61-0 from 15 overs when the rain came to curtail the match.
Matthew Gibson was on 35no and Dishane Rodrigo 19no before rain ended the contest prematurely.
Cleckheaton skipper James Stansfield proved the difference for his team as they beat Methley by 93 runs in the Premier Division.
Stansfield made 37 and the aggressive Khizer Qadeer (74) built on his sound foundation as Cleckheaton made 223-8 despite the efforts of Finlay Rooke (5-51).
The captain was then back in the thick of the action when Methley batted and were all out for 130.
The evergreen all-rounder took 5-45 as Methley did not build on a solid start with a half century opening stand between Taylor Cornall (30) and Kyle Welsh (25).
Townville were unlucky not to gain winning points from their Premier game against reigning champions New Farnley after posting an impressive 236-8 from 40 overs in a rain shortened encounter that ended up being abandoned.
Conor Harvey hammered 62 from 41 balls, with three sixes and five fours, while Kieran Collins also cleared the boundary three times and cracked five fours in a knock of 51 in a powerful middle order partnership.
In reply, New Farnley had Aidan Langley (55no) out in the middle when worsening weather forced an abandonment, but they were on 93-4 from 18 overs when the game ended, with two wickets each for Jack Hughes and Mathew Lumb.