Keighley 205-5

Batley 140 all out

KEIGHLEY opener Richard Gould became the second highest runscorer in Bradford League history after scoring 84 in their clash with Batley.

His innings took his tally to 16,261 and only the former Keighley player Richard Robinson, on 17,471, is ahead of him.

Keighley hosted top-of-the-table Batley this last weekend at Lawkholme in the All Rounder Cricket Bradford Premier League Championship One.

Keighley skipper Paul Quinlan won the toss and elected to bat first, looking to make a big score on an excellently-prepared wicket.

Veteran batsman Gould moved back into his usual opening slot alongside Luke Chapman and the pair started brightly as they carefully built a base for the rest of the Keighley line-up to take advantage of.

Gould was in particularly impressive form as the pair moved past a 50-run partnership and were heading for a hundred partnership before Chapman was caught for 31 with the score on 94.

Gould kept going, however, as he upped the ante, hitting 11 fours and four sixes in a fabulous innings of 86.

The Keighley middle order added to the great start they had been given, all batters making double figures as they built the score to 205-5 in their allotted 50 overs. A cameo from Nathan Storton (24 not out from 19 deliveries) helped to push the score over the 200 mark.

Batley’s reply stuttered from the start as wickets fell at regular intervals thanks to accurate line and length bowling, especially from Quinlan who was in particularly impressive form.

Middle order batsman Muhammed Tahir was the only Batley player that had any answers to the Keighley bowling. But he was left on his own on 40no as he ran out of partners, as Batley closed on 140 all out. Quinlan finished with an excellent 6-38, with overseas Alex Antoine also chipping in with 3-53.

The victory sees Keighley move up to sixth in the Championship One table; they travel to struggling East Bierley this Saturday for their last game of the season, a victory could see them finish as high as fourth after their promotion the previous season.

Meanwhile, Keighley’s second string travelled to Cleckheaton this past weekend knowing that a victory would guarantee them their Championship status for next season.

Returning skipper Alex Towler lost the toss and was invited to field first.

Veteran Cleckheaton batsman Chris Dobson got the home side off to a solid start as he and fellow opener Ethan Lee (19) produced an unbeaten 50-run opening partnership.

However; once Dobson fell lbw for 45 to Harry Barker, the home side's collapse began with several Keighley bowlers chipping in with wickets.

Cleckheaton were finally dismissed in the 42nd over for 123; pick of the bowlers was Hrithik Patel (2-8), Ben Jagger (2-16) and Barker (2-25).

Even though they had in excess of 50 overs to score the runs, Keighley’s batsmen did not stand on ceremony as they took the fight to the Cleckheaton bowling attack.

Wicketkeeper Lee Gordon was in brutal form as he smashed 48 off just 41 deliveries.

This knock set up the platform for the other batters to get the score over the winning line with just four wickets down in only the 18th over and guaranteeing the Lawkholme Laners Championship cricket for the 2020 season.