Bradford League: Walmsley stars as Ossett close in on promotion

The table toppers secured another maximum 20-point haul with a nine-wicket win over Gomersal and are now 40 points clear of closest challengers Bankfoot with four games remaining and 56 ahead of Birstall in third.

Walmsley took centre stage initially with the ball in hand as he claimed 6-31 when Gomersal were put into bat.

Despite 60 from Liam Fletcher, Gomersal were bowled out for 150 with Max Chappell and Joseph Finnigan also picking up two wickets each.

Walmsley followed up his bowling exploits by making an unbeaten 58 with the bat, hitting eight fours and one six.

He combined with George Hadfield (63), who cracked 10 fours and a six, in an opening stand of 113 that kept Ossett in charge.

Wrenthorpe’s upturn in form continued as they further boosted their hopes of avoiding relegation from the Premier Division with what could be a telling victory over a fourth from bottom Cleckheaton side now just two points above them.

Harvey Booth (46no), Charitha Kumarasinghe (43) and Kris Ward (40) all contributed for Cleckheaton, but they were all out for 185 after going in first as left-arm spinner Matthew Race took 5-71 and Khalil Khan 2-39.

Overseas player Khan then led the Wrenthorpe reply with a knock of 66 that included nine fours and a six.

They had to recover from 45-4, but got home to win with three wickets to spare as Mustafa Rafique came up with a match clinching unbeaten 48 and Mohammed Suleman contributed 37.

East Ardsley put themselves back in the promotion picture in Division Two with two back to back victories over the weekend.

Although still down in fifth they have games in hand on all the teams above them and have now moved to within 24 points of second-placed Hopton Mills from two games fewer.

Ardsley began their weekend with an emphatic 103-run win over Hunslet Nelson.

The picture was not so promising when they were reduced to 11-3, but a brilliant recovery saw them go on to total 297-6 from their 50 overs.

Louie Hurley (44) and Gary Jennings (90) began the revival in an 133-run stand for the fourth wicket with the latter smashing 14 fours and two sixes.

Jonathan Macgregor then came in to play an even bigger innings, his 70-ball knock of 117 containing five sixes and 13 fours.

Jamal Khojani (54) and Andrew McIntosh (43) led Hunslet’s reply, but they were all out for 194 as Hurley claimed 5-65) and Ashley Pearson 3-54.

Ardsley followed up with another win a day later as they beat neighbours Wakefield St Michael’s by 32 runs.

Josh Wild (77), Peter Bowles (40), Louie Hurley (35) and Tom Daniels (27) all contributed as Ardsley posted a 266 total, with Cavan Connolly (3-64) and Zaeem Zulfqar (3-58) doing most to restrict them.

St Michael’s had a good go at chasing down the runs and were led by Mark Atkinson, who made an unbeaten 107, including 11 boundaries. But although Hanif Mahboob contributed 29 and Ashley Hale 27 they fell behind the asking rate and ended their allotted overs on 234-5 with Hurley taking 2-69.

St Michael’s were also on the wrong end of the result a day earlier as they were well beaten by Hopton Mills who piled up a massive 338-7 total on the way to a 269-run win.

Sohail Hussain (65), Gary Senior (52) and Conor Heywood (51 off 20 balls), were backed up by Chris Scott (43) and Michael Carroll (36no) before a day to forget for St Michael’s was complete as they could only muster 69 runs in their reply, Marcus Leyshon (21) top scoring and Carroll taking 5-37.