Carlton push champions all the way as overseas star Shah impresses

After posting a challenging 247-7 they were in contention for a surprise win, but in an excellent contest that went right down to the final over Farnley got home to win by three wickets.

Overseas player Aqib Shah led the way for Carlton after they elected to bat first and was unlucky to be run out just short of a deserved century.

He made 96 from 83 balls, hitting 11 fours and a six along the way, while opener James Van Der Merwe also contributed 54 and Farukh Alam 33.

Alam followed up by taking 4-74 as the champions lost wickets in pursuit of quick runs in their reply. Farnley kept going, however, and after needing six runs to win from the final over they got home with a ball to spare when Fletcher Coutts hit a four off James Rogers.

Sandal’s Division One promotion prospects took a big hit as they were surprisingly beaten by 37 runs by bottom of the table East Bierley.

Bierley were kept to 186 as Sam Noden claimed 5-33 and Denson Narayan 3-40.

But the division’s leading wicket taker this season, Asad Raza, produced another devastating spell of 6-55 to bowl out Sandal for 149.

Umar Abbas fought hard with an explosive 74 that included five sixes and nine fours, but the innings never recovered from 39-5.

Ossett went down by five wickets to Crossflatts after their decision to bat first did not work out.

They were all out for 134 with Haseen Bashir's 54 the only significant contribution.

Crossflatts made light work of the chase, reaching their target inside 29 overs despite two wickets each for Callum Geldart and Zain Ul Abdin.

Altofts lost out in a high scoring thriller with promotion-chasing Keighley in Division Two.

Hopes must have been high at the half-way point after they amassed 270-3 thanks to Andrew Wood's unbeaten 86 and a late assault from Ben Walsh, who blasted 64 not out from just 42 deliveries. Saif Tahir also contributed 38, Dean Van Onselen 27 and Shamsullah Dost 26.

But Keighley replied strongly to chase down the runs with five wickets and seven balls remaining.

Streethouse suffered a seven-wicket defeat to Hartshead Moor in their Division Two game despite posting a big 259-7 total.

Zamurad Khan (82) led the batting effort, hitting four sixes and eight fours, while Lee Tarbuck contributed 55 and Ben Brown 51 from 49 balls.

But Hartshead chased down the runs to win with more than six overs to spare as overseas player Muhammad Waleed led the way with an unbeaten 114.

Wakefield St Michael’s strengthened their promotion hopes in Division Three with an emphatic chase at Liversedge.

They raced past the home side’s score of 196 in just 24.5 overs as Ubaid Zia hit 50 from only 20 balls, Rana Khan added 41 from 21 balls and Umaad Bashir hit 30.

Liversedge had been restricted by Cavan Connolly (4-46) and Rana Khan (3-50).

In a high scoring close game East Ardsley went down by one wicket to Hopton Mills.

They batted well in totalling 272, with Thomas Daniels making 69, Harry Appleyard 32 and Ben Smith 30.

But Mills were able to reach the target with seven balls to spare despite 4-80 from Scott Mullins.