KEIGHLEY Cricket Club remain in a fierce battle to beat the drop from Division Two of the Bradford Premier League, but gained a potentially seismic victory on Sunday.

It was a double weekend in the third tier, and with Hopton Mills as good as down and Northowram Fields virtually safe, it seems to be a straight battle between Heckmondwike & Carlinghow and Keighley for survival.

And it did not look good for the latter on Saturday, as they were thrashed by 119 runs away to Lightcliffe.

They were right in the game when they reduced their opponents to 83-3, only for Yusuf Malik (123 not out) and George Leach (119) to run riot, putting on 248 for the fourth wicket.

That left Keighley chasing a mammoth total of 332-4, which they got nowhere near.

Captain Simon Bailey rescued his side from total humiliation with an unbeaten 60, backing up 48 from Zahir Shah earlier in the innings, but the visitors could only make 213-8 from their 50 overs.

Fortunately, they had a favour from near-neighbours Buttershaw St Paul’s, who beat Heckmondwike by two wickets that afternoon.

On to Sunday, and Keighley were at home to East Ardsley, with the visitors batting first.

They set a stiff target by posting 259-5, largely thanks to the efforts of James Van Der Merwe (80) and Suraj Singh (77).

Keighley looked to be in dire straits when in-form Lucas Keslinke was dismissed to leave their reply floundering on 110-5.

But Johandre Barnard (40) put on 68 with Bailey to keep the hosts in the hunt.

And when the South African was dismissed, the skipper ploughed on alongside opening bowler Ijaz Ahmed.

The pair added an unbroken 84 together, Bailey finishing on 66 not out and Ahmed unbeaten at the other end with 42, to ensure their side won by four wickets.

Frustratingly for Keighley, Heckmondwike won their Sunday game, thumping Scholes by seven wickets in a DLS-affected encounter.

The upshot of the weekend’s results is that Keighley currently sit in the drop zone, but are only two points off Heckmondwike and safety.

There are two games left to play, as the Lawkholme Laners look to avoid a second relegation in just three seasons.