New overseas fast bowler Hazrat Shah produced an impressive performance to help leaders Bradford Premier League Division Two leaders Jer Lane secure their third successive win.

Shah took 6-67 to help last season’s Conference champions defeat previously unbeaten Spen Victoria by six wickets.

Shah’s pace bowling scuppered Spen’s hopes of capitalising on the determined efforts of Bilal Ejaz (85) and Peter Jackson (37).

The home side’s eventual total of 180-8 looked far more challenging when Jer Lane slipped to 13-3, but crucially they kept their nerve.

Imra Mirza and Naeem Ashraf both finished 59 not out in an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 125 which sealed a six-wicket win.

Spen are second, nine points behind Jer Lane, because unbeaten Hopton Mills and Carlton saw their game abandoned without a ball being bowled.

Yeadon seized the opportunity to make up ground on the teams above them with a nail-biting two-wicket win over Birstall.

Nick Kaye’s 34 at least enabled Birstall to recover from 17-4 to post a total of 143-9 which proved challenging for Yeadon as Saif ur-Rehman took 4-34.

Sarmad Hameed’s unbeaten 62 proved to be decisive as he steered Yeadon home with eight wickets down. The result leaves Birstall still without a win.

East Ardsley and Altofts both registered their first victories at the expense of Liversedge and Adwalton respectively.

Young Joshua Wild produced a crucial all-round contribution for East Ardsley. He took 4-27 to support the efforts of Scott Mullins (4-39) as Liversedge were bowled out for 158, Sohail top scoring with 58.

Wild followed up with a brisk unbeaten 47 as he and opener James Van der Merwe (47) led the successful run chase. Ben Ford took 3-45 for Liversedge.

Altofts skipper Kieran Holliday impressed with 6-45 as his side bowled out Adwalton for 125 to seal a 114-run win.

Sam Huitema (78) and Dominic Richardson (43) helped guide Altofts to 239-8 when they batted first. Ghulam Hussain (3-38) and Shoaib Rehman (3-76) were the best Adwalton bowlers.

Buttershaw St Paul’s saw their push for victory thwarted by Northowram Fields’ last-wicket pair of Joseph Hough(16no) and Josh Dodd (10no).

They added 21 runs and prevented St Paul’s from getting the wicket they needed to secure the win and ten points as they enabled their side to finish on 115-9. They also salvaged three points for their side as the match was incomplete.

Jonathan Crossland continued his good form with 74 in the St Paul’s total of 221 while Sam Gardner was the best of the Northowram bowlers with 4-52.

Bowling Old Lane were struggling at 107-7 in their match at Hunslet Nelson when rain washed out any further play.

Meanwhile, Brighouse were the day’s only winners in the Conference as they defeated Crossbank Methodists by six runs.

The remaining three games were all abandoned after rain prevented sufficient play to determine a positive result.

Great Preston looked to be going well against unbeaten leaders Sandal as they reached 167-4 before the heavens opened. Openers Danusha Ranasinghe (64) and Kieren Thurston (63) shared a stand of 116 for the first wicket.

Gildersome & Farnley looked to be closing on victory when their weather-affected clash with Windhill & Daisy Hill came to an end.

Adam Campion’s 52 countered the challenge posed by Shoaib Iqbal (4-47) as a total of 197-7 was posted by Gildersome & Farnley Hill.

In reply, Windhill & Daisy Hill were tottering at 101-8 with Roan Hoey taking 3-21.

Heckmondwike & Carlinghow were 90-3 when play was washed out at East Leeds. Zahid Bukhari dominated the scoring with 57.