THE top three teams all had emphatic wins as the battle for promotion continues to hot up in All Rounder Cricket Bradford Premier League Championship Two.

Leaders Carlton defeated Hunslet Nelson by eight wickets, second-placed Yeadon crushed Hopton Mills by nine wickets and third-placed Birstall defeated Liversedge by 196 runs.

It means that Carlton have a 15-point lead over Yeadon with Birstall a further eight points back.

Overseas player Kershaski John Lewis was in the thick of the action in Carlton’s latest win. He took 4-13 as Hunslet Nelson were bowled out for 164 and made an unbeaten 63 as Carlton cruised to victory.

Carlton’s win wasn’t a one-man show. Spencer Hunt (3-3) backed up John Lewis’s efforts with the ball while Daniel White (76) impressed with the bat. Skipper Will Stiff (40) provided the one innings of any substance for Nelson.

Legh spinner James Massheder impressed with 6-22 as Yeadon bowled out Hopton Mills for 147 on their way to crushing win.

Opener Gareth Lee (69) and Rob Smith (46no) set the tone for the Yeadon reply with overseas player Sarmad Hameed (30no) providing the finishing touches.

Birstall’s batsmen were in good form as they helped their side to a total of 265-8 against Liversedge. Rishy Limbechaya (75) and Nick Kaye (61) shared 113 for the third wicket, while Ashley Burton (43) and Josh Haynes (41) added valuable runs.

Liversedge had no answer to the fine bowling of left arm seamer James Russell (7-30) as they were skittled out for 69.

Opener Ben Grech hit a century as Northowram Fields secured a 73-run win over lowly Adwalton. His innings contained four sixes and 13 fours and he was joined in a third-wicket stand of 145 by young Kyle Welsh (61) as they helped their side to a score of 217.

Usman Shakir (5-42) and Ghulam Hussain (3-22) proved to be the best of the bowlers for Adwalton.

James Sheerin (43) and Shoaib Rehman (34) top scored as Adwalton were dismissed for 146 with Jacob Slator taking 4-6.

Bowling Old Lane eased their fears of relegation with a six-wicket win over Altofts who now find themselves in the bottom three.

Taseer Javed (61no) and Arsalan Ejaz (56) ensured that Old Lane were successful in their pursuit of the Altofts score of 213-8.

Ismail Patel (69no) was the cornerstone of the Altofts innings as Arslan Mahmood (4-39) spearheaded the Bowling Old Lane attack.

East Ardsley’s slide down the table continued as they suffered an eight-wicket defeat against Buttershaw St Paul’s.

Amer Ayoub (5-41) and James Sawyer (3-28) helped bowl out for East Ardsley for 145, while Kevin McDermott (75) and Jonathan Burston (35) led the successful run chase.

Rain prevented the match between Jer Lane and Spen Victoria from reaching a positive conclusion.

A seventh-wicket partnership of 135 between Raqeeb Younis (80) and Amjid Khan (69no) was the highlight of Jer Lane’s 273-9. Adil Ladak (4-49) and Abid Awain (3-57) were the best of the Spen bowlers.

Spen had won their previous two games by chasing down big totals at Buttershaw St Paul’s and Adwalton, but were stuttering at 160-6 when play was halted. George Deegan was 48 not out while skipper Bilal Ejaz made 36.

Meanwhile, Sandal took advantage of Great Preston being without a game to return to the top of the Conference table with a five-wicket win over Brighouse.

Karl Hewitt (55) and Kieran Shuttleworth (55no) enabled them to chase down their opponents’ score of 168 and establish a 15-point lead in the promotion race.

The victory was set up by the bowling of Phil Yeadon (6-54) as only Ahmed Hussain (41) and Tanvir Bashir (31) got going for Brighouse.

Usman Qureshi made a priceless 108 as bottom team Heckmondwike & Carlinghow secured a 93-run win over Rodley,

Qureshi struck four sixes and 15 fours as he countered the threat of Peter Phillips (5-75) and Max Bleasby (4-39) to guide his die to a total of 221.

Skipper Rob Young hit 53 for Rodley but lacked support as Syed Shah Bukhari (6-42) bowled Heckmondwike & Carlinghow to victory.

Gildersome & Farnley Hill continued their good run-scoring form by making 272-7 on their way to a 155-run win over lowly Crossbank Methodists.

Richard Bedford (49), Liam Pearson (46), Martin O’Halloran (41), Jack Irwin (40) and Josh Potter (37) led the way with the bat, while Jordan Edmondson (4-33) helped bowl out Crossbank Methodists for 117. Jotham Barnett top scored with a battling 55.

James Watling (5-27) and Will Storey (4-54) shone with the ball as East Leeds bowled out Oulton for 144 to complete a 54-run win. Will Harrison (52) made 52 but couldn’t save his side from defeat.

Zahid Tarvas (49) and Tom Chapman (37) were the top contributors to the East Leeds score of 198. Joe Sykes (5-40) and Jonathan Gardiner (3-47) were Oulton’s best bowlers.