ON what was always likely to be a pivotal day in the All Rounder Cricket Bradford Premier League Premier Division, there was no lack of thrills and spills at Red Lane.

Leaders Farsley were entertaining defending champions Pudsey St Lawrence, and there was no more than a cigarette paper between them.

In a match where both innings followed similar patterns, Farsley batted first and lost both openers with 30 on the board, and skipper Ryan Cooper and wicket-keeper Dan Hodgson were also back in the hut before 40 had been passed.

Another wicket fell at 70, but the innings was revived by Yorkshire's James Wainman (46, including three fours and a six) and Matthew Revis (52, including seven fours).

They added 79 for the sixth wicket and pushed the Rams up to 181 as Richie Lamb (3-37) bagged three of the first four wickets and Chris Marsden (4-34) wrapped up the tail, with Mark Robertshaw snaffling three catches.

Both Saints openers fell with the score on 43, and that triggered a collapse to 55-6 before Marsden (54 off 85 balls) and Tom Hudson (61no off 56 balls, including four fours and two sixes) put on 102 for the seventh wicket.

However, the efforts of Adam Ahmed (5-37 off 14 overs), who dismissed four of the first six, and Chris Henry (2-48 off 15) were just enough to give Farsley victory by three runs as they retained the leadership, with Saints' innings finishing on 178-9.

Spinners Chris Brice (4-34 off 15) and Kez Ahmed (2-25 off 15) were in their pomp at Albert Terrace as Woodlands restricted second-placed Hanging Heaton to 143-9, Rob McFarlane top-scoring with 25.

However, although Mark Lawson made 30 for the home side, he lacked support as they were dismissed for 120 in just 33.5 overs, with David Stiff (3-32) and Muhammed Rameez (3-38) doing most of the damage.

Farsley lead the table on 246 points, with Hanging Heaton second on 239, Woodlands third on 224 and Pudsey St Lawrence fourth on 194.

There were also crucial clashes at the bottom, and basement boys Pudsey Congs and second-from-bottom Batley came up smiling.

Congs' Mubtada Akhtar (27) and James Ford (15) put on 42 for the first wicket in their 106-9 off their allotted 40 overs, skipper Babar Butt weighing in with 22 not out down the order in a shortened contest.

Curtis Free took 4-19 in 12 overs and Qaisar Ashraf 4-13 off eight but little did openers Akhtar and Ford realise that they had already done enough as visitors Cleckheaton were then bundled out for just 35.

Skipper and opener John Wood (12) was the only player to reach double figures as they were castled by Jonathon Donnelly (6-20) and Josh Holling (4-13) in just 14.3 overs.

Batley opener Sufyan Patel was much more prolific, making 70 off 93 balls, including eight fours and a six, in their 209, having a 78-run partnership for the third wicket with Muhammad Ababakar Khan (40).

Muhammad Hafeez weighed in with 27 at No 8 as they were pegged back by Amar Rashid (5-65) and Umer Yaqoob (3-49).

Visitors East Bierley could only make 146 in response, however, despite 59 from opener Adal Islam and 24 from skipper Adam Patel, Hafeez completing a fine all-round match with 5-31 and Tariq Hussain taking 3-57.

Congs are still bottom with 115, but Cleckheaton are now only six points better off, with seemingly perennial strugglers East Bierley on 126 and Batley on 134.

Scoring at faster than a run a ball in an innings of substance proved difficult on a day when the rain made it advantage bowlers, but Mitchell O'Connor managed it for New Farnley, hitting 74 from 64 deliveries, including eight fours and four sixes.

Simon Lambert, no slouch either with 52 off 79 balls in an opening stand of 123, helped to propel the Leeds club to a healthy 237-9, Lee Goddard (34) and Richard Atkins (21) chipping in as ever-reliable spinner Noman Ali took 5-42.

Kyme Tahirkeli (50 off 81 balls, including seven fours) and captain Gareth Phillips (39 off 51 balls, including three fours and two sixes) put on 71 for Bradford & Bingley's fourth wicket but they were dismissed for 172.

Lightcliffe certainly made light of a run chase after Townville's Jack Hughes had made a run-a-ball 107 in their 214-7, hitting ten fours and three sixes.

The Wakefield Road club replied with 218-2 off just 25.5 overs, with Niall Lockley (110no) and Yorkshire's Alex Lees (96) putting on 141 for the second wicket as they breezed home.

Lockley's innings lasted just 74 balls and contained eight fours and ten sixes, while Lees' knock was only 67 balls long, and included eight fours and six sixes, after Alex Stead had been dismissed for a duck.