THORNTON are the surprise early-season leaders in the Spenser Wilson Halifax League Premier Division.

They continued their excellent start with a 142-run win at Northowram Hedge Top.

Joshua Hutchinson (72) added 76 for the fourth wicket with Ryan Brooksbank (57) in the visitors' 240, and Hedge Top collapsed from 71-2 to 98, with opening bowlers Ross Parr and Hutchinson taking 5-47 and 3-46 respectively.

Oxenhope also made it two wins out of two after making 265-9 against Triangle at Grassy Bottom.

The home side, who used seven bowlers, had Oxenhope at 96-5, but No 6 Josh Tetley changed that with 94 not out, which included ten fours and six sixes.

Craig Bartlett (47) and Liam Dyson (33) scored the bulk of the early runs, with Jack Barker (33) and Duncan Tetley (24) weighing in lower down as they totalled 265-9, with former Idle and Undercliffe paceman Kurtis Whippey taking 4-61. 

Triangle were also quickly in bother, being reduced to 35-4, but revived to 206, chiefly via Whippey (56) as Scott Mallinson took wickets early and late in his 6-65, backed up by the more expensive Dyson (3-81).

Queensbury must have thought they had a good chance of victory against Jer Lane after posting 243-3, opener Mohammed Hanif hitting 71 and Bradley Gerrard-Harrison (64no) and Mohammed Bilal (70no) adding 125 unbroken for the fourth wicket.

However, Raqeeb Younis contributed 123 before retiring hurt in a nine-wicket win, fellow opener Ian Hall (67) being the only man out.

In contrast, in the First Division at Shelf, not a single batsman reached 40 but Cullingworth’s all-round effort helped them triumph by 100 runs.

Brothers Chris and Steve Welch both made 38 in Cullingworth's 215-7 as Mick Priestley took an economical 3-32.

Opener Steve Priestley (29) was Shelf's top scorer as they were dismissed for 115, Dave Robinson being the pick of the bowlers with 5-31.

Great Horton Park Chapel couldn't build on a 55-run second-wciket partnership by Richard Hassall (32) and Adam Beesley (47) and were bowled out for 183 at Stones, who won by five wickets, desopite Waseem Chaudrhy's 3-20.

The newcomers are finding life difficult in the Second Division, with Low Moor HT and Clayton inflicting pain on Leymoor and Mount respectively.

In the Second Division newcomers Leymoor are thus far finding its move a difficult one as Low Moor HT inflicted another heavy defeat – this time by 206 runs.

Bradley Osbourne (69), Masood Zaman (68no), Bradley Williamson (43) and Mark Stokes (36) cashed in as Low Moor made 267-8, and Stokes then took 5-10 and Zaman 3-17 as the Golcar outfit were castled for 61.

Batley side Mount fared little better at Clayton, making only 113 after an opening stand of 44, with Paul Gelder taking 6-68 and Mitesh Mistry 4-38.

Opener Tim Evans then went a long way to ensuring Clayton's seven-wicket victory with 43. 

John Stanger's 4-61 for Upper Hopton was in vain as the Mirfield side lost by three wickets at joint leaders Outlane.