DEFENDING champions Salem Athletic looked unlikely winners at the start of their final over against 2016 Bradford & District Evening League runners-up Mayfield.

The latter had made a modest 93-7 from their 16 overs, with opener Mohammed Nadeem top-scoring with 29 as Zabeel Ullah took 3-9.

But, with six balls remaining, Salem were 76-9, only for Khalil Ur Rehman to hit three successive sixes to finish on 52 not out, securing an unlikely victory.

New boys Adil Rashid Cricket Academy (previously Omars) opened their Evening League account with a trip to the Karmand Centre to face newly-promoted Ciroc, who were also last season’s Finals Day winners.

The Academy set a respectable 112-5 target, thanks largely to a 50 retired from Sami Rehman, with Ahmed Safi the pick of the bowlers with 3-18.

Ciroc replied with 113-7, winning with an over to spare, with Yasir Ali top-scoring with 24 not out.

Denholme made their customary opening-day trip to Shelf and scored an impressive 152-5, with Andy Wear making 50 retired and Jack Hainsworth 40.

Shelf were always behind the run rate, eventually finishing on 108-4, with Hamza Bhatti making 28 not out as young paceman Matthew Wear took 3-28.

However, the top scorers of the day were the other newly-promoted team, Greenfields.

They racked up 160-3 at Thornton, with opener Adeel Ahmed retiring on 50 and No 3 Sajad Ali retiring on 52.

In reply, Thornton fell just five runs short on 155-7, with Scott Richardson making 46 not out and Josh Hutchinson 43.

In Division TwoGreat Horton Park Chapel made a ruthless start in their bid to bounce straight back from relegation.

They dismissed John Breare for just 62, with Ben Burkill (4-13) and Dom Anderson (3-15) doing most of the damage.

Chapel then surpassed their target without loss in just 7.4 overs, with new recruit Chris Dennison hitting an aggressive 42 not out.

Cambing secured their first Evening League win for over a year, defeating Cross Roads & Daisy Hill at Windhill.

They set the home side 124-8, thanks to 39 from big-hitting Wajid Mahmood, and then tight bowling from opening pair Asad Khan (3-19) and Umair Hussain (2-17) restricted Cross Roads to 105-8, despite the best efforts of Ian Clayton (32) and Hasan Malik (26).

Hepworth & Idle’s prolific opener Kevin McDermott (51no) and Tom Hawksworth (38) secured a nine-wicket victory over Halifax outfit Bradshaw with six overs to spare.

Bradshaw had earlier made 94-6, with Matthew Crowther top-scoring with 33.

Unfortunately, there was no play in the other game between the league’s rwo new boys Raja’s and Crossflatts.

Raja’s ground of Parkside in Bowling Park was deemed unfit to play on.

The league’s officials will decide on how the points are allocated.

Tomorrow's games are - Division One: Adil Rashid Cricket Academy v Thornton, Denholme v Ciroc, Greenfields v Salem Athletic, Mayfield v Shelf. Division Two: Bradshaw v Great Horton Park Chapel, Cambing v Hepworth & Idle, Crossflatts v Cross Roads & Daisy Hill, John Breare v Raja’s.