CLECKHEATON skipper Mally Nicholson made a century to help his side secure their first win in the Gordon Rigg Premier Division League Cup, an 88-run success which leaves rivals Methley rooted to the bottom of the table.

Nicholson hit 11 fours in his 111 and added 155 for the fifth wicket with former Yorkshire player Azeem Rafiq (67). Jason Marshall (3-19) was the best of the Methley bowlers as Cleckheaton posted a score of 261-8.

Opener Alex Cree (39) and Jordan Laban (38) were the main contributors as Methley were bowled out for 173. Ethan Lee returned his best first team bowling figures of 4-25.

Morley are now the only team in the Premier League Cup who have not registered a win as the competition reaches the halfway point.

Once again, their fragile batting was exposed in their West section clash, as they were dismissed for 111 when replying to Bradford & Bingley’s 223-7.

Skipper Ed Brown was again in good nick for Bradford & Bingley with 70 as they compiled a score of 223-7. Billy Whitford, on loan from Undercliffe, chipped in with 40 as Henry Rush (3-54) proved the most successful of the Morley bowlers.

Morley never got going when they replied, with Bradley Reeve (3-11) and George Heartfield (3-41) sentencing them to their fourth defeat.

Up at the summit, Pudsey St Lawrence withstood a late onslaught from New Farnley to strengthen their position at the top of the section.

The Saints opened an 11-point lead over New Farnley after winning a thrilling encounter at Tofts Road by 14 runs.

When New Farnley slipped to 105-6 in reply to the home side’s 241-6 there seemed little prospect of a gripping finish, but seventh-wicket pair Steve Bullen and Alex Lilley soon changed the complexion of the game.

They took the attack to the bowlers with Bullen making 81 – his fourth successive half century – and Lilley blasting six sixes in an unbeaten 69.

The target was reduced to 19 from the final over but leg spinner Archie Scott held his nerve. He restricted New Farnley to four singles before bowling Bullen with his fifth ball.

St Lawrence had built the platform for their victory with a solid batting display spearheaded by their top three of Mark Robertshaw (57), Charlie Best (36) and skipper Chris Marsden (46).

It also proved to be an eventful afternoon in the East Section, where Hanging Heaton have displaced Batley at the top after inflicting a first defeat on them.

Despite being without regulars Joe Fraser, Gary Fellows and Tom Chippendale, Hanging Heaton made light of their absence as they ran out 125-run winners.

Callum Geldart was at his sparkling best when Hanging Heaton batted first. He hit three sixes and 13 fours to help his side post a score of 201. Mohammed Bhoola was the best of the Batley bowlers with 4-49 while Yasir Ali took 3-40.

Batley were soon in trouble when they batted. They plunged to 54-6 and were eventually bowled out for 77 as spinner Josh Wheatley (4-25) and seamer James Byrne (3-7) led the way.

Batley’s defeat saw them drop to third, a point behind Townville who had a comfortable six-wicket win at Wrenthorpe. Muhammad Bilal, on loan from Woodlands, produced a fine all-round display.

After taking 4-23 as he and skipper Jack Hughes (4-22) helped bowl out Wrenthorpe for 103, Bilal smashed four sixes in a rapid 35 not out to speed Townville to their target. Opener Ishmail Dawood laid the foundations for the innings with 38.

Pudsey Congs survived the loss of four quick wickets to defeat Hartshead Moor by four wickets and retain the leadership of the Division One West Section.

They slipped to 31-4 before Subhaan Ammar made an invaluable 47 not out to steer them past Hartshead Moor’s score of 116-9.

Hartshead Moor were indebted to a ninth wicket stand of 40 between Alex Kennedy (41) and Harry Hepworth which pushed their score into three figures.

Bankfoot are just seven points behind Congs after a six-wicket win in a rain-affected match at Keighley.

Set a revised target of 127, Bankfoot were powered to their target by opener Hisan Ahmad (73no). Earlier, Ahmad had taken 3-21 as Keighley were restricted to 145-9. Luke Chapman (48) and Nathan Storton (39) were the top scorers.

Gomersal brought East Section leaders East Bierley’s unbeaten run to an end as they inflicted a 78-run defeat on them.

Jonathan Boynton (81no), Liam Fletcher (46) and Graham Hilton (33) helped Gomersal to make 238 as Jack Hebden (3-53) proved to be the most successful bowler.

East Bierley slipped to 24-4 before skipper Adam Brown (50) and Paul Martin (41) gave them hope, but spinner Chris Rhodes killed off any hope for East Bierley with 4-20.

Jer Lane made it four wins out of four with a comfortable seven-wicket win over Scholes which maintains their position at the top of the Division Two West Section.

Opening bowler Zeeshan Qasim, on loan from Undercliffe, took 3-5 as Scholes were bowled out for 103. Imran Mirza made an unbeaten 47 to sped Jer Lane to their target.

Buttershaw St Paul’s are second, 11 points back, after their 135-run win over Northowram Fields. Another on-loan opening bowler, this time Woodlands’ Elliot Richardson, took 4-33 as he and Kamran Siddique (3-35) helped dismiss Northowram Fields for 98. Joe Hough (36) offered the only resistance.

Buttershaw St Paul’s made 233-9 when they batted first thanks to Jack Wilson (67no) and Paul Carroll (38). Sam Gardner (3-31) was the best of Northowram’s bowlers.

Ahsan Alishan’s unbeaten century provided the impetus for Bowling Old Lane’s 139-run win over Hunslet Nelson. Alishan hit two sixes and 12 four as he helped his side to 251-8, with Sammullah Nasrat contributing 42.

Hunslet Nelson’s innings lacked momentum and they were dismissed for 112. Saad Khan took 3-28 and that man Alishan 3-21.