BASEMENT club Emley Clarence gained their first win of the season, while at the top of the Premiership Golcar and Barkisland both beat the weather to extend the gap on the chasing pack.

Although probably already doomed to relegation, Emley are battling to get off bottom spot and moved closer to achieving that by defeating nearest club Lascelles Hall, who also now look favourites to join the Clarence club in the Conferences next season.

Asif Zakir hit an unbeaten ton and put on 181 for the second wicket with Tim Sykes (74) to bring up an overwhelming nine-wicket victory, and for the second successive week the Hall’s John Booth (91) produced a super innings in vain.

Golcar entertained Clayton West in a 35-overs-a-side clash after heavy lunchtime rain delayed the start.

Clayton’s South African Pepler Sandri again impressed more with the bat than the ball, making 55, while Golcar’s Australian all-rounder Tim Welsford took four for 48 as the visitors closed on 113-7.

Steve Whitwam made a half-century, supported by Phil Eastwood (37no) as Golcar won by nine wickets to stay ahead of the field.

Barkisland were similarly emphatic in their nine-wicket win over Shelley, Tinashe Panyangara claiming six for 46, while Adam Robinson, who has re-signed for the Woodfield side, took three wickets to dismiss Shelley for 90. Paul Winrow made 47 in the winning reply. The next four teams in the division were all left ‘treading water’ literally as Honley’s home game with Elland and Micklehurst’s visit to Delph both fell victim to the weather.

Cameron Borgas cracked nine fours and four sixes in an unbeaten 94 as Elland totalled 222-4 at Honley, who in turn were in trouble at 128-5 when rain ended play after 29 overs.

Meanwhile, over at Delph, Micklehurst never got the chance to reply, for having bowled out the Sykes Cup finalists for 143, despite 66 from Jamie Haynes and 40 from skipper Grant Jones, the heavens opened and denied the visitors the chance of victory.

Meltham moved out of the relegation area when they inflicted a surprise defeat on Shepley who were scuttled for 85 by Will Hinchliffe (five for 33) and Ainsley Swallow (five for 42).

Earlier Ramesh Subasinghe had taken seven for 40 to dismiss Meltham for 136, in which Alistair Farrell’s 40 was the top mark.

And that victory for Meltham sent neighbours Holmfirth into the bottom three after they were well beaten by Skelmanthorpe.

Wajid Hussain made 60 for the Holme Valley men in a 159-9 total before James Dollive led the winning reply with 55, backed up by Amit Dani (38) and Max Joice (30no).

Scholes coasted to a nine-wicket win over re-election candidates Linthwaite, who are now the only team in the League without a win. Andy Alsop bagged six for 58, before skipper James Noble replied with an unbeaten 56.

Kirkheaton maintained second spot in the Cedar Court Conference with a six-wicket win over Paddock, while Broad Oak stay close in third after just keeping out Armitage Bridge.

Leading wicket-taker Ben DeAraugo hit an unbeaten 60 as the Oak were dismissed for 225 and then took three wickets to deny the visitors for whom opener Matthew Pearce made a valiant unbeaten 92 and went close to steering the Bridge to victory.

In the Frank Platt Conference Slaithwaite still hold sway leading Marsden by 16 points despite having their game at Almondbury abandoned after five overs of the hosts’ reply. Slaithwaite had made an unconvincing 168-6 in which extras was the top score.

Marsden are still well on course for at least a play-off spot after beating Lepton Highlanders thanks to a seven-wicket haul from veteran Norman Clee.

Alan Waring (60) and Tim Clarke (87) put on 120 for Lepton’s second wicket, but from 157-1 they crashed to 184 all out in the face of Clee’s tricky spin.

Martin Kyle (72) and Steve Butters (71no) then set up a victory platform with an opening stand of 122 for Marsden.

SP Singh notched an unbeaten ton for Thongsbridge, but it was a good job he did, as his teammates quickly folded before they scraped home by two wickets against Primrose Hill, while Kirkburton defeated Hall Bower by four wickets in a 40-over game.