Booth crack open Ollie's champers

The favourites celebrated their comfortable success by cracking open the bottle of bubbly that their player Ollie Collinge, who died from cancer recently aged 28, had left the club for just such an occasion.

Collinge’s brother Tom kept wicket as the Halifax League leaders completed the first part of what they hope will be a notable double.

Booth elected to bat on a firm, true pitch and posted 213 for seven with number three Rob Laycock (77) finding some form when it mattered.

The first half of Copley’s reply mirrored that of Booth’s innings. They also had 76 runs on the board midway through their 45 overs and had lost one wicket fewer - two compared to three.

However, a change of ends for Laycock’s younger brother Richard, Booth’s captain, produced dramatic results.

The quick bowler struck once in his first over back, twice in his next over and went on to take five for 38 as Copley collapsed to 133 all out.

Richard Laycock took the man of the match award, having earlier scored 44, while Robert carried off the Brian Hunter Memorial Shield for the final’s top scorer.

The 800 spectators were fairly subdued throughout a contest played in largely overcast and increasingly chilly conditions.

A Copley side lacking key men Ollie Thorpe, Ian Hartley and Alex Rowles, made another change on match day with Luke Simpson coming in for Freddie Hammond.

Booth’s greater all-round strength always threatened to tell and that was certainly the case.

Copley opened with teasing spinner Chris Goulden, who bowled an immaculate line and length, and skipper Chris Dennison.

The pair got through their nine overs off the reel and when they had finished Booth were 50 for three.

Dennison accounted for Steve Senior (13) and Hasnain Wajid (18). Goulden sent back Rob Worsnop (6) before Rob Laycock decided to shut up shop against the slow bowler and wait for something more appetising.

The Laycock brothers steadied the Booth ship with a stand of 79, easing the shackles by taking 32 runs off three overs from Craig Chew.

Richard Laycock was eventually trapped leg before by experience left armer Mohammed Seraj but John Midgley (35) joined Rob Laycock and the last 11 overs produced 76 runs.

Laycock senior was run out in the final over by some smart work from bowler Mark Baldwin.

After tea, Copley suffered a hammer blow when Patrick Thomas somehow got his hands under the ball in front of the scoreboard to catch out danger man Dennison for 19 off the bowling of Moazzam Ayub.

Thomas went on to take two more catches and Senior pouched two in the deep, the second off Craig Taylor (18) in the 42nd over ending the contest.

Ayub was responsible for the final wicket - his third - but Usman Saghir, Nigel Horsfall and Thomas also played key roles by bowling tight spells.

It was that intensity and a near-perfect fielding display which eventually led to Copley’s resistance melting away after youngster Rishikesh Bhuskute (18) and Karl Whipp (31) had given them a chance.

Parish Cup final

BOOTH 213 for seven

R Worsnop lbw b Goulden 6

S Senior lbw b Dennison 13

Rob Laycock run out 77

H Wajid c Taylor b Dennison 18

Rich Laycock lbw b Seraj 44

J Midgley c Simpson b Baldwin 35

P Thomas c Rowles b Baldwin 6

N Horsfall not out 1

U Saghir not out 0

Extras 13

Bowling: C Goulden 9-3-15-1, C Dennison 9-4-34-2, M Seraj 9-1-31-1, C Chew 3-0-32-0, M Rowles 7-0-35-0, M Baldwin 5-0-35-2, L Simpson 3-0-27-0.

COPLEY 133

C Dennison c Thomas b Ayub 19

R Bhuskute lbw b Horsfall 18

K Whipp c Senior b Laycock 31

M Baldwin c Thomas b Laycock 8

M Seraj c Ayub b Laycock 0

M Rowles c Thomas b Laycock 11

G Walker b Laycock 7

C Taylor c Senior b Ayub 18

C Chew b Ayub 3

C Goulden b Thomas 1

L Simpson not out 2

Extras 15

Bowling: R Laycock 9 2 38 5, U Saghir 9 2 19 0, M Ayub 7.5 0 32 3, N Horsfall 9 2 17 1, P Thomas 7-1-15-1.

Umpires: John Senior and Peter Taylor.