LEADERS Keighley maintained their hold on top spot in the All Rounder Cricket Bradford Premier League Championship Division Two with a hard-fought five-wicket victory over Birstall.

Louis Horsfield led the way with an unbeaten 73 and was supported by Nathan Storton (40) and Richard Gould (38) as Keighley overhauled Birstall’s score of 225.

Experienced opener Eric Austin (89) and Peter Gregorsen (30) top-scored for Birstall against a bowling attack in which Paul Quinlan (4-43) and Adam Greenwood (3-63) enjoyed the most success.

Second-placed Wakefield St Michael’s held their nerve to pull off a one-wicket win over Brighouse, who were left to rue giving their opponents four extra overs when they were bowled out for 186.

Last-wicket pair Ollie Lightfoot (28no) and Tom Robinson (6no) edged their side home in the third of the bonus overs.

Charith Cooray (31) was Wakefield St Michael’s top scorer before they ran into trouble against Deron Greaves (4-35).

Quadratullah Azizi (44), Greaves (41) and Quaisar Hameed (40) contributed the bulk of Brighouse’s runs as Lightfoot (3-30) and Alex Mumford (3-30) shared the bowling honours for St Michael’s.

Half-centuries from Amer Ayoub (68), Kevin McDermott (60) and Gary Wainwright (59) powered Buttershaw St Paul’s to a four-wicket win over Spen Victoria.

Joe Wood (3-64) was the one Spen bowler to emerge with credit as they failed to defend a total of 263-7.

Ollie Davison (58), Wood (46), Adam Brown (37) and Evan Edwards (37) were Spen’s top scorers, while Adil Mehmood (4-48) was the best St Paul’s bowler.

Carlton made the division’s highest score of 330-6 as they defeated Bowling Old Lane by 74 runs.

Arman Hussain led the way with an impressive 123 not out, which contained six sixes and 14 fours.

Openers Steve Cooper (57), Daniel White (34) and Usman Shakir (33no) added to the suffering for the Old Lane bowlers.

Haroon Tariq proved to be the most successful with 4-99.

Zeeshan Haider smashed five sixes and 13 fours as he made 98 in Old Lane’s 256, while Ahsan Butt (68) and Ayyaz Akram (44) also tried to force the pace against a bowling attack in which William Hayton took 6-34.

Another team to post a big total were Hopton Mills.

They made 328-6 in their 100-run win over East Ardsley, with Mark Ashton (115) in sparkling form.

Two sixes and 18 fours flowed from his bat, while Ashley Mackereth chipped in with 58.

Dan McTiernan (47) and Gary Jennings (40) shared a first-wicket stand of 106 for East Ardsley, but only James Marston (48) of the remaining batsmen made an impact as Michael Carroll (5-36) and Mackereth (3-52) wrapped up victory.

Josh Bennett-Kear returned the day’s best bowling figures of 7-38 as Northowram-Fields castled Liversedge for 97 on their way to a six-wicket win.

Dru Patel was unbeaten on 59 when victory was achieved.