THE battle between the two unbeaten teams in Division One of the Bradford & District Evening League went the way of defending champions Salem Athletic at the Karmand Centre.

Ciroc's bowlers looked to have put them in a commanding position, having restricted Salem Athletic to 107-6 from their 16 overs, with Asad Khan taking 3-15 while the visitors’ overseas star Khalid Usman made 50 not out.

However, the Salem attack proved even more effective, restricting Ciroc to 89-7, with Usman again starring with 3-16.

Shelf's batsmen took full advantage against a depleted Thornton at Hill Top to blast 183-3 in an 18 overs a side game, with contributions from newly-signed openers Mussaver Shah (50no) and overseas Asif Afridi (52no), backed up by Sajid Khan (34) and Kamran Ahmed (30no).

Thornton never gave up and made a spirited 150-8 in reply, with Nikki Hutchinson scoring 50 not out and Ross Soames 32, while Afridi took 4-15 with the ball.

Greenfield set a competitive 120-4 against the Adil Cricket Academy at East Bierley, with four batsmen getting into the 20s but none able to push on for a match-winning score as the Academy claimed victory on 121-5, despite the best efforts of Sajad Ali (4-29), with Mosun Hussain again in the runs on 41.

Mayfield were unable to raise a team and conceded to Denholme.

In Division Two, unbeaten Hepworth & Idle continued their seemingly relentless march towards promotion with another emphatic victory, this time over new boys Raja’s.

The Westfield Laners' most valuable player Kevin McDermott took 3-21 as the visitors made a respectable 121 from their 18 overs, with Mohammed Shoaib top-scoring with 26.

However, McDermott then went to work with the bat, making 53 not out as he and fellow opener Gary Sagar (52no) put on 91 for the first wicket as the home side ran out winners by nine wickets with four overs to spare.

The accolade for top scorers of the day, however, went to the other new boys Crossflatts, whose 202-9 from 18 overs included 47 from No 9 Waseem Hussain, 44 from new signing, opener Taseer Javed, and 41 not out from Alex Bradbury.

Uzair Salman (3-29) and Umair Hussain (3-49) were the pick of the Cambing bowlers.

Cambing were never really in the hunt but batted their full 18 overs to finish on 135, with both Wajid Mahmood and Asad Khan making 33.

The closest finish of the day was at Ewart Street, where Great Horton Park Chapel lost by one run for the second time this season to give Cross Roads & Daisy Hill their first success of the season.

Chasing Windhill's 123-7 (Mahesh Patel 44), Park Chapel only lost three wickets' despite batting all of their overs, with Ben Burkill making 32, Adam Beesley 30 not out and Chris Brown 27.

Finally, a gritty 49 from veteran opener Peter Kempton helped John Breare finish on a very gettable 122-7 from their 16 overs at Bradshaw.

However, the Breare bowlers rose to the occasion, restricting Bradshaw to 109-3, despite Adam Spendelow’s 51 not out, extending their winning run to three games.

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