Bradford Cricket League: Waleed Akhtar is ton-up star as Cleckheaton open 22-point gap

The table toppers were able to beat local rivals Batley by 93 runs and went 22 points clear at the top as closest challengers Undercliffe had their their game at Baildon abandoned with just 14 overs possible.

Cleckheaton were given a flying start as openers Waleed Akhtar (114) and Lachlan Doidge (61) put on 158 for the first wicket.

Akhtar hit four sixes and 11 fours and took his tally of league runs for the season to 683.

Batley did manage to restrict the also prolific Yousaf Baber to 23, but with Ethan Lee chipping in with an unbeaten 48, Cleckheaton were able to post a total of 288-5 despite the efforts of Roheil Hussain (3-79).

Batley were quickly reduced to 30-5 in their reply, but fought back with a stand of 137 between Aadam Hussain (63) and Daanyaal Hussain (65).

Their dismissals brought about an end to the fight, however, as they were all out for 185. Iain Wardlaw claimed 3-12 and James Stansfield 3-47.

Lewis Lomax took 6-43 as Division Two leaders Hartshead Moor bowled out promotion rivals Hopton Mills for 139 to register a 76-run win.

Gary Senior (33no) top scored, but Mills fell short of their DLS target of 216 in 46 overs.

Moor, who are five points clear at the top, made 224-9 in their full 50 overs with Tim Bresnan (55), Craig Field (48) and Sam Middleton (48) leading the way.

Parvaise Khan claimed 6-82 as Liversedge dismissed neighbours Heckmondwike & Carlinghow for 213 on their way to a two-wicket win.

Iqbal Khan top scored with 67 while Khurram Shehzad hit 28 and Quadratullah Azizi backed up Khan with 2-41.

Surender Singh (4-57) fought back as Heckmondwike took to the field, but Imran Dawood (67) and Wasim Nazir (52) helped steer Liversedge to their target with five balls to spare.

Scholes went down by 25 runs to promotion rivals Great Preston in Division Three.

Set a DLS target of 240 in 37 overs, they had a good go at the run chase, but were all out for 214 with Shafaqat Ali (72) hitting eight sixes and four fours and Greg Keywood (55) three sixes and five fours.

Keywood had bowled well, taking 3-56, but Great Preston reached 236-8 in 37 overs.

Great Preston now have a 21-point lead over Altofts at the top with Spen Victoria a further five points back in third after recording the day’s quickest win.

There was no danger of rain denying them as they skittled out Gildersome & Farnley Hill for 37 with James Russell (6-16) and Chris Allen (3-9) doing most of the damage.

Spen lost two early wickets in their reply before coasting home.