HOYLANDSWAINE grabbed the initiative ahead of their Sykes Cup semi-final match-up when they defeated Delph & Dobcross in the Drakes Premiership programme.

Delph had first use of the wicket and Arron Lilley made 81 and Bruce Cruse 80 as they totalled 219-9,Danny Mulhall taking four for 40.

Alex Morris (67) and Joe Sayers (58) both notched half-centuries in Swaine’s 221-4 total.

The victory kept Swaine at the top of the table, but a nine-wicket win for Elland over Shelley kept them right up there in the title hunt.

Ibrar Younas was Elland’s star with eight for 21 as Shelley were bowled out for just 86 before Niall Lockley made an unbeaten 49 in reply.

And Golcar stayed in third spot after they too bowled out Marsden for 86, Jack Hargreaves and Will Hinchliffe each taking four wickets.

Earlier, Golcar had made 191-9 with Craig Ruscoe top-scoring with 66 and Andrew Chalkley 34.

Wasim Jaffer cracked another ton as he made 108 not out in Scholes’ 184-1, replying to Slaithwaite’s 180-8 total of which Bjorn Taylor made 58.

Another century-maker was Honley’s Simon Kelly who fired 104 and Rob Moore 40 in their 224 total against Clayton West, the home side closing on 174-7 in reply.

Matthew Wood fell seven short of a ton as Kirkburton beat Skelmanthorpe by two wickets.

Louis Aspeling hit 75 and Chris Hansberry 74 not out as the Lidgett Lane side posted a 243-4 total, before Wood got to work with 93 and Jonny Butterfield 44 as Burton replied with 244-8, Kris Whittaker taking six for 72 for the losers.

In the final game in the top flight, Shabir Rashid made 90 not out as Hall Bower defeated Sykes Cup finalists Shepley.

Gideon Foster claimed three for 24 which included a hat trick for the Bower.

In the Championship, the best knock of the day came from Holmfirth’s Mitchell Santner who made a splendid 111 not out in the victory over division leaders Thongsbridge.

Santner’s knock, backed up by Matt Gummerson (40) helped Holmfirth to 183, despite five wickets from Ijaz Shah.

In reply, Ben Raven-Hill scored 44, but that was the only knock of note as Javed Iqbal shot through Thongsbridge’s innings with seven for 36, leaving them dismissed for 95.

Barkisland closed the gap on the leaders with a 56-run win over Emley Clarence, Darren Robinson scoring 45 and then taking five for 10, while Daniel Sykes also took five for 44.

Broad Oak were bowled out for 108, but five wickets for Rhys Phillips sent Armitage Bridge to a 27-run defeat.

There was no play in the Lepton Highlanders v Meltham clash, while in the Conference, the Almondbury v Paddock game was also called off.

Cawthorne continue to march on after beating Lascelles hall by eight wickets, Ben Simpson making 67 not out after the Hall had been bowled out for 94, Chris Walmsley and Paul Tasker each taking four wickets.

Richard Hall and Mohammed Siddique each had five wickets as Kirkheaton beat Linthwaite, while there was a victory for Cumberworth over Rastrick.

In the Twenty/20 Trophy Wasim Jaffer smashed 101 not out off just 47 balls (14 fours and five sixes) as Scholes beat Delph & Dobcross in the quarter-final match at Chapelgate.

Meanwhile, Skelmanthorpe defeated Golcar in the only other match to be played and will now play Scholes in the semis.