Wakefield St Michael's 227-7

Keighley 184 all out

KEIGHLEY remain on top of the All Rounder Cricket Bradford Premier League Championship Two despite a 43-run defeat to second-placed Wakefield St Michael's.

Starting at 9am, in order to get the game finished before England’s World Cup quarter-final clash with Sweden, Keighley skipper Paul Quinlan won the toss and invited Wakefield to bat first, hoping to get some early morning swing from the new ball.

He was left disappointed, however, as several Wakefield batsmen got stuck into the Keighley bowling attack with skipper Mark Atkinson leading the way with a steadily compiled 60.

This was backed up by Charith Sajeeva (45) and Ayaz Seedat (47), Wakefield batted out their allotted 50 overs scoring 227-7.

The only shining lights for Keighley were Quinlan, who took 5-51, and keeper Adam Smith who snared five victims.

Keighley needed another good start from their opening pair of Luke Chapman and Richard Gould, but this did not happen as Gould was bowled early on for eight.

Chapman followed not long after for 25 and, when Adam Greenwood was caught and bowled for 11, Keighley were in trouble at 58-3.

This brought together 17-year-old Louis Horsfield and 18-year-old Nathan Storton and the pair managed to steady the ship.

With some excellent batting they put on 67 for the fourth wicket until Storton was caught in the deep for 32.

That wicket proved crucial for Wakefield and Keighley’s middle and lower order were unable to forge any other partnership and once Horsfield was run out for a fine 61, the end was nigh. But Keighley were all out for 184.

Keighley are still 16 points clear of Wakefield at the top of Championship Two at the halfway stage of the season, Wakefield, though, do have a game in hand.

The Lawkholme Laners travel to Hopton Mills on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Keighley seconds, top of Championship Two, travelled to second-placed Scholes.

Also opting for the early 9am start, Keighley skipper Alex Towler lost the toss and was invited to bat first on a wicket that definitely looked as if it would assist the bowlers and this proved to be the case. Keighley’s batsmen struggled to control their innings and despite several starts seeing eight batsmen score double figures, no-one was able to go on and post a decent score.

Scholes’s Jude Roberts took 3-59 as Keighley batted out their 45 overs for 178-8. The pick of Keighley’s batsmen being Hami Shahzad with a brisk 35.

Scholes’s reply was devastating with skipper Neil Kellett leading from the front with a blistering 101 from just 104 deliveries. He supported well by Aqash Aurangzeb (49) the home side chased down the winning runs in just the 33rd over at the expense of just wickets.

Keighley’s Shahzad was the only bowler to make any breakthrough, taking 3-32.

Despite the defeat, Keighley are still 25 points clear of Scholes at the halfway stage of the season and they are hoping to bounce back this weekend at home to Hopton Mills.