Townville close in on Bradford League title despite best efforts of Brad Schmulian's Woodlands
· Bill Marshall · 2026-08-16T15:35:25+00:00 · nguồn gốc
Townville close in on Bradford League title despite best efforts of Brad Schmulian's Woodlands
TOWNVILLE are closing in on a first Bradford Premier League Premier Division title.
With three games left – including against the current bottom two – the Castleford-based side are eight points ahead of second-placed New Farnley and 10 in front of Woodlands.
The top three all won on Saturday in convincing fashion to collect maximum points.
Pudsey St Lawrence won the toss at Poplar Avenue and chose to bat, but could only score 136, No 8 Harry Cullingford (37) getting the most runs as the wickets were shared between Townville’s Mathew Lumb (3-20), Usman Arshad (3-43), Tom Chippendale (2-39) and Jack Hughes (2-15).
Townville were then 13-2, Josh Priestley (2-23) taking both wickets, before captain Jonny Booth (53no) and Hughes (79no) put on 127 unbroken to take them past the post by the end of the 26th over, Hughes’ runs coming off 77 balls and containing 12 fours and two sixes.
Three significant stands helped New Farnley to 306-8 after hosts Cleckheaton sent them in.
Steve Bullen (86) was involved in all of them, adding 72 with skipper Aidan Langley (50), 86 with Alex Lilley (43) and 79 with Ed Brown (60), who faced only 34 balls and hit three fours and six sixes.
Fletcher Coutts (31no) helped New Farnley over 300 before Cleck were rolled over for 135, Gurman Randhawa bagging 4-39 and Adam Ahmed 3-8.
Brad Schmulian was outstanding for Woodlands in their 159-run win at home to Morley, scoring 128 not out before taking 6-44, Henry Pearson (4-59) collecting the other wickets.
Schmulian faced 119 deliveries and hit 18 fours and a six, putting on 149 for the third wicket with Tim Jackson (85), who faced 97 balls, hitting 11 fours and two sixes in their 309-9.
At the other end of the table there was a significant win for Jer Lane, who dismissed Farsley for 184 at Park Avenue after the Rams chose to bat, Umer Yaqoob taking 5-72.
Jer opener Anwar Shah then scored 62 of the first 83, facing 50 deliveries and hitting 11 fours and a six, adding 43 with Mohammed Abbas and 40 with Adal Islam (28), who then put on 56 with Muhammad Wasim Khan (44no) as Jer won by seven wickets off the first ball of the 31st over.
That lifted Jer to ninth place on 176 points, the bottom three of Pudsey Congs (108), Farsley (159) and Morley (165) all losing, with Jer facing New Farnley on the run-in and Pudsey Congs meeting Woodlands.
In the PFW Huddersfield Premier League Premiership, Hoylandswaine won the Sykes Cup dress rehearsal, defeating hosts Rastrick by four wickets.
Aubrey Swanepoel scored 109 for Rastrick, hitting nine fours and six sixes, but it still wasn’t enough as Swaine chased down their 251-9 in the 43rd over, Arron Lilley leading by example with 73 from 49 deliveries, which contained seven fours and four sixes.
Benji Birkhead scored 90 as second-placed Scholes won by 71 runs at home to Skelmanthorpe, Yasser Imtiaz taking 5-65 and Paul Nasser 4-64, while Golcar moved out of the relegation berths by winning a game of 665 runs by five wickets at home to Honley, James Wolfenden scoring 112 for the winners.
Innings of the day, however, came from Nabi Gul, whose 161 for Kirkburton lasted only 131 deliveries and contained 13 fours and 10 sixes as they beat Mirfield Parish Cavaliers by 64 runs, while Steve Brown (5-63 and 80) was an all-round star for Moorlands in their three-wicket victory at home to Shepley.
Collegiate’s wobble gives Knapton’s Cleethorpes hope
In the Yorkshire Southern Premier League Premier Division, leaders Sheffield Collegiate lost for the first time this season, but they still have a healthy lead of 22 points (almost two wins).
Hosts Doncaster Town opted to bat and scored 202-7, Andrew Parkin-Coates (51) and keeper Taylor Fell (61) putting on 104 for the third wicket.
Opener Jack Timby (44) and Sheryaar Ali (42) added 87 for Collegiate’s second wicket, but that was the only substantial partnership as they were back in the pavilion for 168, losing their last four wickets for two runs as Rory Daburger (3-62) and Harsha Rajapaksha (3-10) cashed in.
Josh Knapton (7-35) ran amok as second-placed visitors Cleethorpes dismissed Wakefield Thornes for 97.
Sprotbrough made it back-to-back wins to strengthen their survival chances, defeating visitors Cawthorne by two wickets with four balls to spare, Parteek Khasa scoring 77 not out and Dan Wright 46 to rescue the hosts from the dead at 89-7.
Appleby Frodingham captain Alex Grimes (127no) batted through their innings of 266-3 at home to Wickersley Old Village, who could only reply with 190.
Grimes faced 140 balls and hit 12 fours, putting on 157 with Liam Sylvester (72) for the first wicket before Kieran Lindley (48) joined him in a stand of 90, the latter then taking 5-83.
Connor Fisher’s unbeaten 87 helped Tickhill to a five-wicket triumph at home to Whiston Parish Church, while Whitley Hall’s top three all made half-centuries as Hallam were edged out by 17 runs.
In Yorkshire Premier League North’s Premier Division, Hull Zingari boosted their chances of staying up with a five-wicket success at Carlton Towers in a basement battle.
Andile Phelukwayo (78no), who faced 60 balls and hit 10 fours and two sixes, helped Towers to 217-8, but Zingari captain Jack Storey followed up his 3-50 by scoring 89 not out. Zingari are now level with Stamford Bridge on 60 points, with Towers last on 54.
Castleford are third after a one-run win at home to Driffield Town, denying openers Alec Drury (106) and Jack Redshaw (67) after Luke Edwards (94) and keeper Owen Smith (66) had also started with an opening stand of 106.
Leaders Clifton Alliance won by eight wickets at home to Stamford Bridge, Chris Dixon (3-46), Charlie Rose (3-15), Tom Fraine (46) and Ed Wade (42no) starring, while former Yorkshire player Jonny Tattersall, inset, scored 94 as Knaresborough won by eight wickets at Harrogate.
Clifton now lead by 28 points as second-placed Sheriff Hutton Bridge lost by six wickets at home to York with seven balls to spare, Simon Lambert (61) heading a solid run chase, while Toby Findlay took 6-26 for Woodhouse Grange in their four-wicket defeat of Beverley Town.
Meanwhile, Otley are moving inexorably towards a third straight Airedale & Wharfedale League Premier Division title after a 164-run victory at Kirkstall Educational, Alex Atkinson (123no) batting through Otley’s innings of 377-5.
Pool moved out of a relegation berth after a 229-run home win against Bilton, who were dismissed for 55, Charlie Bradbourne taking 5-16 and Charlie Bell 3-5.
Townville were then 13-2, Josh Priestley (2-23) taking both wickets, before captain Jonny Booth (53no) and Hughes (79no) put on 127 unbroken to take them past the post by the end of the 26th over, Hughes’ runs coming off 77 balls and containing 12 fours and two sixes.
Three significant stands helped New Farnley to 306-8 after hosts Cleckheaton sent them in.
Steve Bullen (86) was involved in all of them, adding 72 with skipper Aidan Langley (50), 86 with Alex Lilley (43) and 79 with Ed Brown (60), who faced only 34 balls and hit three fours and six sixes.
Fletcher Coutts (31no) helped New Farnley over 300 before Cleck were rolled over for 135, Gurman Randhawa bagging 4-39 and Adam Ahmed 3-8.
Brad Schmulian was outstanding for Woodlands in their 159-run win at home to Morley, scoring 128 not out before taking 6-44, Henry Pearson (4-59) collecting the other wickets.
Schmulian faced 119 deliveries and hit 18 fours and a six, putting on 149 for the third wicket with Tim Jackson (85), who faced 97 balls, hitting 11 fours and two sixes in their 309-9.
At the other end of the table there was a significant win for Jer Lane, who dismissed Farsley for 184 at Park Avenue after the Rams chose to bat, Umer Yaqoob taking 5-72.
Jer opener Anwar Shah then scored 62 of the first 83, facing 50 deliveries and hitting 11 fours and a six, adding 43 with Mohammed Abbas and 40 with Adal Islam (28), who then put on 56 with Muhammad Wasim Khan (44no) as Jer won by seven wickets off the first ball of the 31st over.
That lifted Jer to ninth place on 176 points, the bottom three of Pudsey Congs (108), Farsley (159) and Morley (165) all losing, with Jer facing New Farnley on the run-in and Pudsey Congs meeting Woodlands.
In the PFW Huddersfield Premier League Premiership, Hoylandswaine won the Sykes Cup dress rehearsal, defeating hosts Rastrick by four wickets.
Aubrey Swanepoel scored 109 for Rastrick, hitting nine fours and six sixes, but it still wasn’t enough as Swaine chased down their 251-9 in the 43rd over, Arron Lilley leading by example with 73 from 49 deliveries, which contained seven fours and four sixes.
Benji Birkhead scored 90 as second-placed Scholes won by 71 runs at home to Skelmanthorpe, Yasser Imtiaz taking 5-65 and Paul Nasser 4-64, while Golcar moved out of the relegation berths by winning a game of 665 runs by five wickets at home to Honley, James Wolfenden scoring 112 for the winners.
Innings of the day, however, came from Nabi Gul, whose 161 for Kirkburton lasted only 131 deliveries and contained 13 fours and 10 sixes as they beat Mirfield Parish Cavaliers by 64 runs, while Steve Brown (5-63 and 80) was an all-round star for Moorlands in their three-wicket victory at home to Shepley.
Collegiate’s wobble gives Knapton’s Cleethorpes hope
In the Yorkshire Southern Premier League Premier Division, leaders Sheffield Collegiate lost for the first time this season, but they still have a healthy lead of 22 points (almost two wins).
Hosts Doncaster Town opted to bat and scored 202-7, Andrew Parkin-Coates (51) and keeper Taylor Fell (61) putting on 104 for the third wicket.
Opener Jack Timby (44) and Sheryaar Ali (42) added 87 for Collegiate’s second wicket, but that was the only substantial partnership as they were back in the pavilion for 168, losing their last four wickets for two runs as Rory Daburger (3-62) and Harsha Rajapaksha (3-10) cashed in.
Josh Knapton (7-35) ran amok as second-placed visitors Cleethorpes dismissed Wakefield Thornes for 97.
Sprotbrough made it back-to-back wins to strengthen their survival chances, defeating visitors Cawthorne by two wickets with four balls to spare, Parteek Khasa scoring 77 not out and Dan Wright 46 to rescue the hosts from the dead at 89-7.
Appleby Frodingham captain Alex Grimes (127no) batted through their innings of 266-3 at home to Wickersley Old Village, who could only reply with 190.
Grimes faced 140 balls and hit 12 fours, putting on 157 with Liam Sylvester (72) for the first wicket before Kieran Lindley (48) joined him in a stand of 90, the latter then taking 5-83.
Connor Fisher’s unbeaten 87 helped Tickhill to a five-wicket triumph at home to Whiston Parish Church, while Whitley Hall’s top three all made half-centuries as Hallam were edged out by 17 runs.
In Yorkshire Premier League North’s Premier Division, Hull Zingari boosted their chances of staying up with a five-wicket success at Carlton Towers in a basement battle.
Andile Phelukwayo (78no), who faced 60 balls and hit 10 fours and two sixes, helped Towers to 217-8, but Zingari captain Jack Storey followed up his 3-50 by scoring 89 not out. Zingari are now level with Stamford Bridge on 60 points, with Towers last on 54.
Castleford are third after a one-run win at home to Driffield Town, denying openers Alec Drury (106) and Jack Redshaw (67) after Luke Edwards (94) and keeper Owen Smith (66) had also started with an opening stand of 106.
Leaders Clifton Alliance won by eight wickets at home to Stamford Bridge, Chris Dixon (3-46), Charlie Rose (3-15), Tom Fraine (46) and Ed Wade (42no) starring, while former Yorkshire player Jonny Tattersall, inset, scored 94 as Knaresborough won by eight wickets at Harrogate.
Clifton now lead by 28 points as second-placed Sheriff Hutton Bridge lost by six wickets at home to York with seven balls to spare, Simon Lambert (61) heading a solid run chase, while Toby Findlay took 6-26 for Woodhouse Grange in their four-wicket defeat of Beverley Town.
Meanwhile, Otley are moving inexorably towards a third straight Airedale & Wharfedale League Premier Division title after a 164-run victory at Kirkstall Educational, Alex Atkinson (123no) batting through Otley’s innings of 377-5.
Pool moved out of a relegation berth after a 229-run home win against Bilton, who were dismissed for 55, Charlie Bradbourne taking 5-16 and Charlie Bell 3-5.