HALIFAX Direct have one hand on the A Division championship trophy in the Dales Council League.

They hosted relegation-threatened Cookridge and dismissed them for just 87 (Usman Maqsood 5-21).

Halifax Direct won by nine wickets and need only five points from two games to retain the title.

Their cause was helped by happenings at Broad Lane, where second-placed Crompark were bowled out for 101 by Bradford Moor, who replied with 103-2.

At Roundhay, third-placed Leeds Sikh made a challenging 182-8 (Manish Parimoo 54) before Mohammed Saeed Mirza scored 88 to add to his 4-15 to help New Wortley to a two-wicket win.

Thornbury’s poor run continued when they were bowled out for 139 (Yassir Javed 77) at the Scott Hall Oval by Leeds Caribbean, who replied with 140-3, the prolific Wesley Bell scoring an unbeaten 65 and Rajab Ali 60.

At Meanwood Road, Woodhouse scored 191 before bowling out already- relegated Farnley Hill for 150.

B Division leaders Savile Stars suffered only their second defeat of the season.

They were castled for 96 at Gledhow by Leeds Sikh B, who replied with 98-5.

At Station Road, second-placed Drighlington recorded the highest score of the day when they recovered from 0-2 to make 337-5, with Josh Sturgess hitting 112, Ashfaq Sheikh 89 and Alan Mitchell 66 before bowling out Adel for 87.

Third-placed Thornbury B were dismissed for 79 (Karl Morris 5-28) at Daleside Road by Farsley, who replied with 83-5.

At Fulneck, Pudsey St Lawrence made 116, with Richard Edwards taking 6-46, but Keith Marsden then took 4-26 to help bowl out Pudsey Congs for the same score in a tied game.

At Leeds Road, Baildon were toppled for 96 by Jack Hepworth 5-15 and Richard Thompson 4-22 before Roshan Patel scored an unbeaten 58 for Morley, who won by eight wickets to make the bottom of the division close, with only 18 points covering four clubs.

In C Division, the top five are separated by only 13 points after the weekend's results.

St Chads Broomfield won by five wickets against Shipley Providence at Salts Sports, wigth the hosts being dismissed for 100 (Mohammed Shamir 6-17).

Halifax Direct B were bowled out for 131 at Smithy Lane by Cookridge B, who replied with 135-6.

For the second week in a row, Baildon B had to concede, this time to promotion-chasing Leeds Caribbean B.