PUDSEY St Lawrence crushed bottom team Scholes by ten wickets to move within touching distance of a third All Rounder Bradford Premier League Premier Division title in four seasons.

They need eight points from their final game at Methley next Saturday to make sure of lifting the championship once again.

New Farnley, who round off their campaign at Bradford & Bingley, are poised to pounce if St Lawrence slip up after their six-wicket win over Methley kept them 13 points behind the leaders.

Prolific batsman Mark Robertshaw (62no) and Adam Waite (37no) shared an unbroken opening stand of 114 after their side had bowled out ten-man Scholes for 111.

Shoukat Ali (44) was the one batsman to make an impression as spinners Steve Watts (4-21) and Chris Marsden (4-37) turned the game decisively in their side’s favour.

New Farnley’s bowlers ensured that their side had little trouble beating Methley.

Ajmal Shahzad (4-42) and Alex Lilley (3-29) kept the visitors in check, Yorkshire all-rounder Matthew Waite top scoring with 46 in his side’s 149.

New Farnley eased to their target, with wicket-keeper Steve Bullen (50) and skipper Lee Goddard (46) leading the run chase.

The surprise result of the day came at Bennett Lane, where lowly Bradford & Bingley defeated last year’s champions Hanging Heaton by six wickets.

The normally free-scoring Hanging Heaton batting line up suffered a major malfunction as they slipped to 75-7.

Only positive strokeplay from Aqsad Ali (79no) enabled Hanging Heaton to post 187, with paceman Jack Hartley (4-55) and Bailey Wightman (4-54) doing most of the damage. Bradford & Bingley were guided to only their fourth win of the season by opener Callam Goldthorp, who was unbeaten on 76.

Woodlands climbed above Methley into fourth after their nine-wicket win over second-from-bottom East Bierley.

Former Bierley skipper Kez Ahmed (3-42) and paceman Elliot Richardson (3-12) helped bowl out East Bierley for 120 as Shabbir Rashid (36) was their top scorer.

Sam Frankland maintained his excellent end-of-season form with an unbeaten 58 as Woodlands cruised to their target.

Farsley spinners James Logan (5-33) and Mark Harrison (4-3) were the star turns as their side dismissed Lightcliffe for 97 to secure a 105-run win.

Harrison had earlier given the Farsley innings a good launch with 71, and contributions from skipper Ryan Cooper (45) and Dan Hodgson (32) enabled their side to post 202-8.

Cleckheaton’s batting crumbled at Townville as they were dismissed for 103 (Harry Clewett 3-30) in their five-wicket defeat.