Scholes and East Bierley produce surprise victories

Scholes produced arguably the shock of the season when the division’s bottom team recorded their first win against high flying Cleckheaton.

Nobody will have been more pleased with the result than Scholes captain James Stansfield, who is a former Cleckheaton player.

Stansfield played a big part in his team’s success by taking 4-49 to spark a collapse in the Cleckheaton middle order,

Cleckheaton appeared to be powering their way to a big total as captain John Wood made a typically aggressive 68 and Chris Holliday (43) until Scholes hit back.

From 115-1 the home side plunged to 156-7 and only a defiant innings of 70 not out from Muhammad Zaman enabled them to claim maximum batting points as the Moorenders were finally dismissed for 226.

Third-placed Cleckheaton were made to pay a heavy price for not batting out their overs, as the extra over Scholes received for dismissing the home side in 48.4 proved crucial to the outcome of the match.

Scholes overseas player Rizwan Ahmed led their reply as he made an unbeaten 81.

Ahmed struck four sixes and seven fours as he built on the earlier work of Danny Cross (37) and Yasser Ali (30) to secure a much-needed win for his side.

East Bierley followed up Saturday’s opening win of the season, against Scholes, with a 57-run victory over second-placed Hanging Heaton to climb out of the relegation positions.

Matthew Lumb played a key role with bat and ball as East Bierley recovered from a terrible start to overcome Hanging Heaton.

Lumb arrived at the wicket with his side deep in trouble at 76-6 and played with good sense to make an unbeaten 41.

He was well supported by Tom Ormondroyd (29) in a crucial stand of 68 for the seventh wicket which helped Bierley reach 155-9.

Dan Busfield (3-32) and Mohammad Rameez (3-30) were the pick of the Heaton bowlers.

The normally powerful Hanging Heaton batting line-up had no answer to Lumb (4-37) and his new-ball partner Tuseif Arshad (2-21) as they plunged to 40-6.

Bierley were in no mood to let such a strong position slip and Awais Ijaz (3-7) mopped up the tail as Hanging Heaton were dismissed for 98.

In-form Farsley share second place with Cleckheaton after defeating lowly Bradford & Bingley by 26 runs in a match which saw their South African captain Arthur Price core his maiden Bradford Premier League century.

Price struck 13 fours in his 109 as he anchored the Farsley innings.

Dan Hodgson and Greg Pickles both chipped in with 30 as Farsley closed on a useful 218-8.

Matthew Walker (3-56) and Yassir Abbas (3-59) impressed for Bingley.

Despite useful contributions from Hamza Iqbal (51), David Clow (41no) and Scott Etherington (37), Bingley were dismissed for 192 with Mustafa Rafique taking 4-29 and Chris Henry (3-58).