A sparkling century from Tom Denton helped champions Shepley overcome big rivals Hoylandswaine in a very solid start to the defence of their Byrom Shield title.

While Scholes pulled off a remarkable win against Skelmanthorpe to join Shepley at the top of the Drakes Premiership table, there was a first defeat for Linthwaite in the Jedi Sports Championship as Marsden took control of that section.

And in the Cedar Court Conference, there was a season-best league bowling performance of eight for 21 from Richard Hall of Kirkheaton as they defeated Denby Dale.

At Haigh Lane, Shepley batted first and put up 304-4 thanks to Denton’s century, 82 from Kenya opener Duncan Allan and 40s from Danny Glover and Dan Wood.

Skipper Glover was then able to keep enough of a lid on the Swaine reply with four for 68, but they took a point at 258-9 with the bulk of the runs coming from the lower middle order in skipper Michael Cranmer (98) and Richard Wilkinson (65).

The Brook brothers, skipper Tom and teenager Louis, did the bowling damage for Scholes as they defended a 140 all out total against Skelmanthorpe at Chapelgate.

Helped by some excellent glovework from Richard Holmes standing up, Tom claimed another five-for (five for 40) and Louis three for nine from his seven overs to restrict Skelmanthorpe to 82 all out in reply, Bjorn Taylor getting 43 of those.

Spinner Paul Cummins took six for 53 for the visitors, while Pete Drysdale and South African debutant Luke Leonard each hit 42 for Scholes.

Honley maintained their chase at the top with a last-over victory at Kirkburton, who totalled 242-9 thanks to a fine 101 from skipper Andy Smith and 55 from Ibrar Latif.

Tim Taylor had four for 54 and Simon Kelly three for 35 before the latter led the Honley reply with 82, Usman Malvi taking six for 82 in a losing cause for Burton.

Fahid Rehman was unlucky to fall one short of a ton as he finished on 99 not out for Elland, who knocked off 167-8 at derby rivals Barkisland.

Darren Robinson was 56 not out in the home side’s 167-8 but Elland won with five wickets to spare.

Niall Lockley led the way with 79 for Golcar as they put up a winning 231-9 against Delph at Swallow Lane.

Jamshad Ahmad took four for 56 for Delph and led their reply with 72, but they finished 37 short on 194-9, taking a point.

Hasnat Yousaf took five for 19 for Shelley to limit Meltham’s hopes of causing an upset at Shelley.

Alex Clegg hit 43 as Meltham were all out for 154, then skipper Greg Wadsworth anchored the home reply with an unbeaten 54 as they took six points by five wickets.

At Hill Top, Holmfirth scored their first win of the season by two wickets, knocking off a home total of 175-9 in which Aussie Nathan Freitag top scored with 65 not out and South African Justin Gamble claimed four for 34 with his left-arm orthodox spin.

Freitag took four for 52 in the reply, but it wasn’t quite good enough as Holmfirth got to 178-8 thanks to 52 not out from ex-Saltaire man Sami-Ur Rehman.

Marsden top the Jedi Sports after a three-wicket victory at home to Almondbury Wesleyans.

Kiwi Graeme Tryon took three for 11 and Simon Robinson three for 64 as the West were bowled out for 188, Matt Henshaw hitting 74.

Marsden got home with seven down thanks to an unbeaten 49 from Danny Clee and 41 not out from Robinson to lead the table on their own.

That’s because Moorlands inflicted a first league defeat of the season on previous joint leaders Linthwaite at Manchester Road.

Andrew Fortis hit a superb 126 for Moorlands and Chris Stott 63 as they totalled 274-6.

Sajid Bashir hit 55 in reply and Mudassar Bashir 49, but Andrew Walker claimed four for 17 to help send Linthwaite back for 201.

Almondbury remain top of the Conference after bowling out Denby for 103 in reply to 122, Mirza Tehseen and Mirza Mobeen taking four wickets apiece for the leaders.

Hall’s eight for 21 helped skittle Denby Dale for 65 and Kirkheaton got home with three down, Salman Sayed hitting 43.