Pontefract League: Askern Welfare remain firmly in hunt for Division One title

The Manor Way club, who have lost just three times in the league this season, currently sit third in the top flight table.

They trail leaders Fairburn by 11 points with six games left to play.

Askern restricted Hall to 150 all out thanks mainly to the efforts of Josh Gillies, who claimed 4-38, and Sachira Madapatha, who took 3-49.

Jeff Morton top scored with 47 and Josh White made 45 to help guide Welfare to victory in 34.5 overs.

Askern host seventh-placed Streethouse on Saturday.

Hatfield Town are still handily-placed in fifth but their confidence is bound to have been dented by a ten-wicket defeat to a rampant Fairburn outfit.

The league leaders dismissed Town for 79, with Craig Piggott snaring 5-7, and then knocked off the winning runs in just 8.5 overs without losing a wicket.

Divison Three leaders Fenwick made it nine wins on the bounce with a three-wicket victory at home to Calder Grove.

Chris Stothard took 4-43 to restrict the visitors to 129 all out.

The run chase was not plain sailing for the table toppers but important contributions from Brad Hunter (41) and Chris Stothard (34no) kept their impressive winning run going.

*Doncaster Town and Tickhill both suffered heavy defeats in the Premier Division of the Yorkshire Cricket Southern Premier League.

Eighth-placed Town lost by 154 runs at Treeton, while seventh-placed Tickhill were skittled for 68 at Sheffield Collegiate and went down by eight wickets.

Graeme Attenborough claimed 5-67 but Town chased leather at Washfield Lane where the home side amassed 277-8 from 50 overs.

Opener Viraj Bhosale anchored the innings with an excellent knock of 105.

Captain Bilal Anjam (38) got Doncaster’s reply off to a decent start but the innings collapsed from 89-3 to 123 all out.

Tickhill were put to the sword at Collegiate where only Mustafa Hussain (27no) offered any resistance as they plunged to 68 all out.

The hosts completed a routine win in just 16.5 overs.