KEIGHLEY hosted table-toppers Jer Lane at Lawkholme on Saturday in their Bradford Premier League Division One match, and they were put to the sword by their Bradford neighbours, losing by seven wickets.

Keighley skipper Scott Etherington won the toss and elected to bat first on a good batting track and to avoid fielding first in the afternoon heat.

But despite the heat the disciplined Jer Lane bowlers soon began to make inroads into the Keighley line up, with Ibrar Younis particularly impressive.

Keighley’s overseas star Noah McFadyen yet again showed his consistency by making another half century, but other than a bright 28 from Simon Bailey, he found little support.

Once McFadyen was dismissed for 56, the Keighley innings was doomed, as they crumbled to 177 all out in the 48th over.

Younis chipped in with 3-32 and Mohammed Jamal 3-40.

That total was always going to be hard to defend on a good batting wicket and against the top team in the league.

But Keighley did themselves no favours with three dropped catches and poor fielding as Jer Lane chased the total down in just the 30th over with just three wickets down.

Deron Greaves made a quick fire 75 , and he was backed up by Nasir Chowdrey’s 52 not out, as Lane continued their extraordinary league season, which has seen them drop just two points.

Etherington, who kept his team in the dressing room for half an hour after the game, will be hoping that his players can turn things around this coming weekend when they travel to bottom side Wrenthorpe.

A weakened Keighley second string travelled to leaders Brighouse in Reserves Division Two of the Bradford Premier League at the weekend missing several players, including star batsman Humayan Shahzad.

That came back to hurt the visitors, who were thumped by 93 runs.

Keighley skipper Jamie Wilmshurst lost the toss and in the heat of the early afternoon was inevitably asked to field first.

Despite a couple of early wickets, the home team found their talisman in Muhammad Bajwa, whose 78 in just 74 balls was the rock of the Brighouse innings.

With several cameo knocks too, Brighouse were able to post a daunting 239-9 at the break.

The pick of the Keighley bowlers was young spinner Louie Wilkinson, who bagged 4-58.

Keighley’s reply started disastrously, and they soon found themselves at 25-6, as Zafar Mahmood (3-10) and Mohammed Imran (4-31) tore through the Lawkholme Laners’ batting line up.

Despite a lower order rally, with Wilmshurst scoring 40 and veteran Steve Butterfield 34, the away team were dismissed for 146.

The seconds entertain Altofts at Lawkholme this coming Saturday.