KEIGHLEY made the relatively short journey to Birstall this past weekend in their Gordon Rigg Bradford Premier League One match and they were looking to put behind them the disappointing defeat to East Bierley in the previous week.

Keighley skipper Scott Etherington lost the toss and on a warm afternoon was asked to field first with Birstall looking to post a big score, taking advantage of a reasonably good looking batting track.

Keighley’s opening bowler Dillon Birkett (2-29) though found some seam and movement and soon had both of Birtstall’s openers back in the pavilion with only 30 on the board.

This did not deter the Birstall batsmen however, who still played at an aggressive tempo with overseas Rishi Limbechaya (80) being the main aggressor backed up by his skipper Nick Kaye who posted a solid 67. Birstall batted out their allotted 50 overs posting a large total of 280-9, Simon Bailey being the pick of the Keighley bowlers with his off spin bringing him figures of 4-70.

Keighley though have chased big scores down already this season and despite losing Adam Smith (18) early ,this brought Australian Noah Mcfadyen to join opener Billy Whitford at the crease. The pair put on a fabulous 122 for the second wicket with both batsmen imperious in their shot selection. McFadyen (49) fell one short of his half century but Whitford soon managed to find another partner in Nathan Storton who boomed a quick 40 in only 34 deliveries. But it was always going to be Whitford’s day and the 22 year old former Yorkshire apprentice saw his side home with a magnificent 136 not out in just 145 deliveries, his second century in the last three games; getting his team to the winning line with eight deliveries to spare and for the loss of five wickets.

Skipper Etherington was highly delighted with his side’s resilience and never say die attitude especially after the previous weeks disappointing result.

The first’s host local rivals Baildon this coming weekend at Lawkholme.

Keighley’s second eleven entertained Birtsall’s reserves this past weekend down at Lawkholme in the reserves Division Two of the Gordon Rigg Bradford Premier League.

Skipper Jamie Wilmshurst lost the toss; Birtsall decided to bat first on a flat looking batting track. But the away team struggled from the start against both pace and spin bowling; losing a wicket in the very first over and despite a steady 45 from Dominic Cleghorn, Birtsall collapsed to just 97 all out in the 28th over.

All four Keighley bowlers took wickets, but young left arm spinner Mohammed Abbas impressed again with four wickets from just four runs backed by veteran seamer Steve Butterfield who finished with three for 37.

Keighley’s reply was swift to say the least and despite losing two early wickets, Mohammed Hussain (33 not out) and Lucas Keslinke (49 not out in just 43 deliveries) got the Lawkholme Laners over the line in just the eighteenth over.

The result sees the reserves fourth place in the division but only five points from second placed Undercliffe.

They travel to Liversedge this coming weekend.  REPORT BY: PAUL BARKER