AFTER postponing the first week’s fixtures from April 25 to August 1 due to the wet ground conditions, the weather still played a big part in proceedings when the Bradford & District Evening League started their new campaign.

Four games were played to a conclusion, two were rained off at the start of the second innings and two were abandoned without a ball being bowled.

However, the games that did take place produced the usual explosive play and excitement, and there were two very close finishes.

Ciroc began the defence of their Division One title by scoring an impressive 140-3 from just 16 overs at John Breare, with Hamzah Iqbal (48), Ismail Dawood (38) and Yasir Ali (29no) taking full advantage of some early dropped catches.

Undaunted, in reply, Danny Forrest hit 51 not out from 23 balls and, with the help of 38 from Tim Pryce, got John Breare agonising close to victory but they fell just two runs short on 138-5, having failed to score from the final four balls of the match.

In another tight encounter at the Karmand Centre, visitors Crossflatts squeezed home by one run against Greenfield.

Facing an achieveable 102-9 (Mohammad Shahwanaz 43, Dom Bennett 27, Sajad Ali 3-21), Greenfield needed nine from the final over and two from the last ball, but young Keighley bowler Dillon Birkett kept his nerve as Greenfield ended on 101-6 (Sohail Khan 47).

In the other game to finish in the top flight, new boys Raja’s set Shelf a challenging 125-8 from their 16 overs, with Mohammad Altaf top scoring with 48.

The hosts managed to reach their target with just two balls to spare, ending on 127-4 thanks to Amer Ayoub (32no), Mohammed Ibrahim (27) and Younis Bismil (26).

Thornton and Denholme was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

Division Two is wide open this year with the introduction of five new teams.

However, the section was badly affected by the weather, and the only game to finish saw Undercliffe overcome fellow Bradford Leaguers Cross Roads & Daisy Hill by nine wickets.

Batting first, the visitors managed to bat out their 16 overs but were restricted by the Undercliffe bowlers to 55-5 (Dave Shaw 31, Sunny Matharu 3-10).

Undercliffe needed just 7.4 overs to claim victory on 57-1, with Fahid Rehman top scoring with 37 not out.

The weather prevented an exciting finish at Ewart Street, with Great Horton Park Chapel on 46-2 (Chris Brown 31no) with 6.4 overs remaining, chasing Buttershaw St Paul's' 101-7 (Kevin McDermott 24).

Keighley new boys Ingrow also managed to get a start at their Hainworth Lane ground, with Halifax visitors Bradshaw posting a competitive 111-3 from their 16 overs (James Thompson 40, Chris Dennison 31, Matthew Crowther 24).

The game was evenly poised with Ingrow on 29-1 from six overs when the heavens opened.

The two other new teams, Muff Field and Azeems, will have to wait another week to make their Evening League debuts as the weather prevented any play at the inaptly named Sunnybank.

Tonight's fixtures (6.30) - Division One: Ciroc v Greenfield, Crossflatts v Denholme, Rajas v John Breare, Shelf v Thornton. Division Two: Azeems v Ingrow, Bradshaw v Great Horton Park Chapel, Buttershaw St Paul's v Cross Roads & Daisy Hill, Muff Field v Undercliffe.