A SPARKLING century from Tim Rees kept Shepley hard on the heels of Premiership leaders Honley in a thrilling finish at Riley Lane.

Batting first, Kirkburton looked to have set a testing total as Andy Smith top-scored with 80 (14 fours), backed up well down the order by Louis Aspeling (60 not out), Tom Burkinshaw (43) and Josh Ardron (40) in a 276-5 tally.

But Rees, in tandem with Sairjinder-Pal Singh (51) put on 144 for the second wicket to put Shepley in command.

But then a shutter of wickets quickly reduced the visitors to 235-6, and after Rees became the third of Charlie Roebuck’s victims for an excellent 131 (20 fours, five sixes), it needed the cool head of skipper Danny Glover (21no) to see the Marsh Laners home with just two balls to spare.

Honley’s relentless charge towards the title continued as they eased to an eight-wicket win over Elland, for whom Craig Fletcher’s 49 was the top score in a 181-8 total as Tom Craddock added another five-for haul to his season’s bounty.

Simon Kelly failed for once, but Max Joice didn’t, as he and Richard Jakeman put on 111 for the unbroken third wicket stand, Joice finishing unbeaten with 83 (12 fours, three sixes) and Jakeman on 68 not out with 11 boundaries.

Scholes are now back in the groove, blasting Hoylandswaine out for 139 with Mohammed Shahnawaz taking five for 36 and Iqbal Khan four for 49 after the Chapelgaters had rattled up 290-8, five of their batsmen getting into the thirties.

Delph & Dobcross beat Barkisland to stay in third place, Bilal Khiljee making a half-century while Golcar edged a 10-run win over Holmfirth, Steve Whitwam taking six wickets for the Swallow Laners after Ben Robshaw had made 51.

Slaithwaite and Marsden both lifted themselves out of a potential relegation dogfight, the former beating Skelmanthorpe, thanks to a five-wicket return from Tom Graham and an unbeaten 38 from Ibrar Younis and 28 from Ian Holt.

Marsden thrashed Broad Oak by nine wickets, the latter bowled out for 95 with Ian Bray, Chris Kilner and Jason Longmore all taking three wickets.

In the Frank Platt Championship, Rohtash-Saini made an unbeaten 67 to keep Shelley out in front of the inactive Kexborough (they play Micklehurst in three weeks time) after Clayton West’s hopes of promotion lay in tatters after being shot out for 130.

Atif Kamran made 69 and Martin Sykes took five for 28 as Lepton were beaten by 30 runs against visiting Almondbury, while Meltham’s upturn continued as they beat Hall Bower, Nadeem Ashraf (68) and Ibrar Hussain (59) doing the business for the Mean Laners.

In the Cedar Court Conference, Steve Abbott destroyed Rastrick with an eight for 54 haul to become the first player to reach 50 League wickets.

The Australian bowled throughout from the motorway end at Round Hill wrapping up the innings with the last delivery of his 25th over to gain the eighth and final wicket he needed to win the Examiner prize.

Tom Owen battled hard for his 22 and young Jacob Waterson batted well for his unbeaten 22 but their 153 tally was never likely to threaten title-chasing Paddock for whom Faisal Siddiq made an unbeaten 53.

Emley Clarence were beaten by 100 runs at Kirkheaton, being dismissed for 168, chasing the home side’s 268-9 in which Kamran Saleem made 58 while Sheheryan Hassan took six for 46.

Lascelles Hall are now the form team and they defeated Armitage Bridge easily enough after scoring 184-9 before knocking over the visitors for 118.

Matthew Simpson (34), Tony Mulhall (35) and Danny Mulhall (33) were the Hall’s main contributors in a 184-9 total, while Oliver Moorhouse claimed three for 35 when the Bridge batted, Cody Parr and James Moorhouse (21 apiece) the only scores of note.

While at Linthwaite, Imran Malik had a great day, taking five for 28 against Thongsbridge, in which Ben Raven-Hill made 82, and then scoring an unbeaten 76 as Kirkheaton won by three wickets.