THE league looks like being a three-way shoot out after last Saturday’s 15th round of games saw victories for Moorsholm, Kildale and East Harlsey, but a second consecutive defeat for Stafford Place which virtually put them out of the reckoning.

Place have topped the league for most of the season, but defeat the week before knocked them from their perch, and then Broughton completed eight days of misery for the Teessiders. A tremendous spell of bowling by Andrew Darcy (7- 54 in 19.5 overs), saw the former leaders dismissed for 111 and then James Harding’s half century took Broughton through to their win with more than 15 overs to spare.

Leaders Moorsholm travelled to Crathorne and Liam Crooks was once again in outstanding form with the ball.

In an unchanged spell of twenty overs he claimed five scalps for 48 runs to restrict the nineman home side to 110.

The combined efforts of Dan Bowman (39 not out), Scott Pearson (38 including four sixes) and Robbie Haw (28 not out) then made light work of the target as the visitors romped to a nine-wicket win in 25 overs.

Kildale continue to cling on to the Moor’s coat tails, their latest win coming on home soil against Kirby Sigston.

The normally powerful Sigston batting line-up couldn’t get to grips with the bowling of M Brooks (5-8) and they surrendered tamely for 67. It wasn’t all plain sailing for Kildale, with Spike Raynor taking four cheap wickets, but they eventually crossed the line with five wickets to spare.

Reigning champions East Harlsey are still in with a chance of retaining the title after a closely fought win over Hartlepool Power Station kept them in third, just four points behind the leaders.

The Power batted first scoring 156-7, opener Mark Elliott top scoring with 41. In reply Chris Holmes’s 34 put Harlsey in charge but then wickets tumbled as Gary Crawley (5-62) struck and it was left to Jonathan Cleary (17 not out) to see Harlsey home.