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Towergate Halifax League: Middy helps Warleystretch lead at top
MICHAEL Midwood led from the front to help Warley extend their lead at the top of the Premier Division to eight points on another rain-hit Saturday.
The skipper made an unbeaten 76 in double quick time as Warley romped to a rain-reduced target of 178 against second-placed Booth and won by six wickets.
Warley had comprehensively seen off Old Crossleyans seven days earlier in another top of the table clash and must be starting to fancy their chances of following up their 2005 title success.
In what started out as a 40 overs per side contest after rain early in the afternoon, Booth stumbled to 37 for three.
Ian Sharkey (42) top edged a Dave Turner delivery into his eye but battled on in a stand of 89 with young Richard Laycock, who made a superb 94 not out which included eight sixes to lift the visitors' total to 215 for seven.
But Warley charged to victory with Midwood being particularly severe on Oliver Collinge as he added 83 for the fourth wicket with Andrew Oates (35).
Booth stay second, three points ahead of a Triangle side who collected seven points from a 20-run home win over SBCI.
A 24-ball half century from Carl Fletcher (58) helped Triangle to 249, John Dean (34) and Jack Gledhill (33) helping to swell the total after the hard-hitting number three had been bowled by four-wicket Simon Robinson.
SBCI's successful opening pairing of Jamie Summerscales (98) and Alex Kaye (68) figured in an opening stand of 159 but the visitors fell 20 runs short after the weather intervened.
Champions Mytholmroyd fell 18 points behind Warley when they crashed by five wickets at Sowerby Bridge.
A 30 overs per side contest started at 3.30 and Bridge only just managed to bank a valuable 10 points before the heavens opened again.
Paul Smith won a useful toss for the home side and 'Royd, beaten in the Parish Cup semi-final at nearby Triangle six days earlier, quickly lost four wickets.
Zeb Mahmood made a typically quickfire 38 but Ben Orchard and Lee Smith took seven inexpensive wickets between them to dismiss the visitors for 107.
That figure shrunk to 99 with rain straight after tea but a 60-run opening stand between Nick Whitehill (38) and Tim Helliwell (34) took Bridge most of the way to victory before Gideon Foster and Shahid Rashid had some success with the ball for 'Royd.
Bottom club Copley were the only other top section team to match Bridge's maximum points return, spin bowler Chris Goulden helping them to an exciting four-win at home to Southowram.
Sam Clark's 33 was best in a modest home total of 133 and Southowram must have fancied their chances chasing a revised target of 119, particularly at 61 for one.
However, the visitors slid to 67 for seven and in a tense finale Goulden dismissed last man Michael Wild to complete a seven for 39 return.
Copley now share bottom spot with Bradshaw, who went down by eight wickets at Northowram Hedge Top.
Stand-in skipper Jon Beecham took four for 27 to limit Bradshaw to 179 for eight and Richard Moore (74 no) and Richard Leach (52 no) saw the hosts to a reduced target of 164.
A good contest at Sowerby was ruined by rain, Old Crossleyans reaching 124 for eight in reply at Sowerby's 142 after five-wicket Paul Reynolds had kept the home men in check.
POINTS TOTALS: Warley 101, Booth 93, Triangle 90, Old Crossleyans 85, Mytholmroyd 83, Sowerby Bridge 82, Southowram 81, SBCI 78, Northowram HT 78, Sowerby SP 74, Bradshaw 69, Copley 69.
Copley now share bottom spot with Bradshaw, who went down by eight wickets at Northowram Hedge Top.
Stand-in skipper Jon Beecham took four for 27 to limit Bradshaw to 179 for eight and Richard Moore (74 no) and Richard Leach (52 no) saw the hosts to a reduced target of 164.
A good contest at Sowerby was ruined by rain, Old Crossleyans reaching 124 for eight in reply at Sowerby’s 142 after five-wicket Paul Reynolds had kept the home men in check.
POINTS TOTALS: Warley 101, Booth 93, Triangle 90, Old Crossleyans 85, Mytholmroyd 83, Sowerby Bridge 82, Southowram 81, SBCI 78, Northowram HT 78, Sowerby SP 74, Bradshaw 69, Copley 69.
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Weather for Halifax
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -1 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 2 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North west
