Pontefract League: West Bretton win thriller, Oulton crack on at top of table
West Bretton held their nerve to win a close Premier Division game at home to Fenwick in the Pontefract Cricket League.
After posting a 193 score they knew they would have to be good in the field to defend it.
They were eventually, but it was a close run thing as Fenwick looked to be cruising to victory when they reached 135-2.
At 162-4 with plenty of overs left the visitors still looked favourites, but Bretton persevered and reduced their opponents further to 186-8.
Still the odds were in the favour of Fenwick with just eight more runs needed for their win. However, Chris Reece and Mohamed Uvais took the last two wickets, leaving them all out for 187 to fall six runs short.
Uvais finished with 3-35, Reece 3-49 and Henry Skelton 2-20.
Bretton’s innings was all about an 118-run stand for the second wicket between Joseph Gott (66) and Ben Summers (62).
They too collapsed after a good start, although Tom Clifford’s 36, made before he retired out, was also crucial.
The win moved West Bretton up to fifth, back above Nostell St Oswald who lost by two wickets to eighth-placed Hemsworth MW.
Steven Biddulph’s unbeaten 76, including 13 fours and a six, saw Welfare home with Briggs hitting 34 and Tokir Bashir taking 4-56.
They were chasing Nostell’s 167, which included contributions of 45 from Usman Bashir and 36 by Deepak Kumar. Jake Taberner (4-37) and Hasitha Balasuriya (3-26) did most to restrict them.
Top of the table Oulton won again when they beat Knottingley Town by 65 runs after backing up their decision to bat first by posting a 257-9 score.
Half centuries from Jonathan Gardiner (56) and Henry Blythe (54) led the way while Town bowlers Daniel Hayes, Pathirahannahelage Fernando, Senushka Fernando and Brendan Norton took two wickets each.
Knottingley were all out for 192 as Roshan De Zoysa hit 71, including six sixes and five fours, and Scott Howe contributed 34.
Jack Andrews (5-56) was their main destroyer with two wickets each for Ben Child and Jamie Pennington.
Hundhill Hall remain in relegation danger following their 106-run loss to fourth-placed Kippax in a high scoring game.
Batting first, Kippax piled up 326 as Abdulla Alikozai led the way with a knock of 82 that included four sixes and 10 fours.
Mahmadsoyeb Gheewala contributed 47, Munawar Chariwala 43 and Arshad Jan 35 while Elliott Fletcher claimed 3-71, Sam Wrightson 3-98 and Edward Anderson 3-20.
Hall gave it a good go at chasing the big target, with Fletcher hitting a 42-ball 61 and Sam Malyan making 51. Darren Green also hit an unbeaten 41, but they were all out for 220 in the 37th over as Touseef Haider took 3-50 and Museji Bhoola 3-26.
South Kirkby took over top spot in the Championship when they beat Hooton Pagnell by five wickets while previous leaders Pollington were losing to third-placed Calder Grove who also remain in the promotion hunt.
Hedley-Paul Keegan (5-43) paved the way for Kirkby’s victory as they bowled their opponents out for 142.
Ben Elmore (60) led a successful reply with Matthew Compton hitting 30.
Third-placed Calder Grove moved to within 15 points of the top with their eight-wicket success against Pollington.
Excellent bowling from Ethan Harrison (4-22), Scott Reyner (3-39) and Thomas Buxton (3-46) saw Pollington bowled out for 108.
Buxton (42) then led the reply with Neil Gunter (29no) as Grove eased home in just 23.2 overs.