1st XI back to winning ways at Bradshaw

148-run win maintains the eight-point advantage over second-placed Sowerby Bridge

Scorecard: https://illingworth.play-cricket.com/website/results/3662432

Illingworth drew closer to one of the promotion spots from Division 1 with an unexpected large win with an under strength side against near neighbours Bradshaw. Illingworth now need just two points from their last two games to ensure promotion but more needs to be done to secure their aim of the championship with a lead of just 8 points over second place Sowerby Bridge who continued their run with an easy win over bottom side Stones. Third place Great Horton still remain in the race but a home defeat to Clayton has deflated their chances with a home run which includes both of the top two.

Put into bat, visitors Illingworth got off to a very slow start on a damp helpful wicket scoring only 12 runs in the first nine overs with Aaron Buckley conceding just one run in five overs until injury took him out of the attack. Crucially the visitors didn't lose early wickets and an opening stand of 67 gave them a solid base until skipper Ben Robertshaw standing in as opener departed for 24 mis-hitting Brown straight to Steve Beck at deep mid on. Matthew Sewell playing his best innings of the season mixed good defence and putting away the bad ball looked on his way to a first senior century when he was bowled by Simon Collins for a very valuable 84 containing 10-4s and 4-6s with the score on 149. The visitors wobbled slightly when Dan Murfett was well taken by Matthew Corton on the deep mid wicket boundary for 32 with no addition to the score.

Much to the relief of the visitors, promoted Hamza Mehmood kept up the momentum with 51 in just 44 balls as Illingworth added 73 in the last ten overs to present the weakened home side with a tough challenge of 248. Simon Collins stuck to his task well bowling through with figures of 3-112 off his 22 overs which didn't fully reflect his contribution to the team effort and Steve Beck helped stem the flow late on with 4-21 in just three overs.

With the wicket still helping the bowlers the Bradshaw task was always going to be tough but with Luke Brooksby unable to bowl through injury and Steve Cook on holiday the replacements still had to bowl well. Bradshaw started solidly with 38 on the board before Matt Crowther departed for 19 and at 51-1 with Beck and Yousaf looking dangerous the target looked achievable only for the home side to lose four wickets for just three runs under some tight bowling from Moorhouse and Murfett. Brown hit a quickfire 25 but with regular wickets falling the task was beyond them as they fell for just 100 in the 32nd over with Murfett leading the way with 6-48 and Moorhouse 4-34.