KEIGHLEY’S run of bad luck at Buttershaw St Paul’s continued at the weekend.

Visiting skipper Andy Wear decided to bat on a wicket that looked full of runs but, although he fared well himself in the All Rounder Cricket Bradford Premier League Championship Two clash, it turned out that the strip favoured both bat and ball.

Wear, as he has done all season, led from the front in making 58, but he lacked support, other than from Sam Johnson (53), who started the campaign in the second team but has now established himself in the first team.

Luke Chapman (15) helped Wear, who hit seven fours and two sixes, put on 66 for the first wicket, and Johnson’s innings, which contained five fours and three sixes, only lasted 56 balls.

Johnson added 56 runs for the eighth wicket with James Rogers (11no), but keeper Adam Smith (10) was the only other player to reach double figures in a disappointing 178 as Dharmesh Mistry took 5-56 and Ben Platt 3-60.

Keighley then struggled to make inroads with the ball, despite Wear changing things, and the hosts won by six wickets in only the 31st over.

Tosh Baker finished the innings on 72 not out and added 53 for the third wicket with the even more experienced Gary Wainwright (40), Platt completing a decent all-round match with 23 in a stand of 65 with Baker.

The wickets were shared around, with Nathan Storton, Dillon Bir-kett, Matt Haines and Sam Murphy bagging one each.

Wear is hoping for a response from his troops this weekend when they travel to Idle in the league on Saturday and Brook Walton in the Jack Hampshire Cup on Sunday.

At least Keighley’s second team came closer to victory at home to East Ardsley in Championship Division One.

Second-team skipper Rory Robinson saw an opportunity to bat on a fine wicket after winning the toss.

But, in what was almost a mirror image of the first team, other than his own efforts of 38, Keighley’s batsmen failed, losing their wickets at regular intervals as the innings closed on 155 in the 44th over, Julian Smith taking 6-50.

Jack Rogers was next best with 23, while four others were out in the teens, including opener Martin Walker (13), who added 51 with Robinson.

In reply, Keighley’s young attack maintained their discipline as visiting wickets again fell regularly.

However, Keighley were probably 20 runs short as East Ardsley got home with three wickets to spare, the pick of the bowlers being Harry Barker (2-21) and Rogers (2-35).

Keighley seconds, bidding to turn narrow defeats into wins, host Idle on Saturday.