Cricket - Halifax League round-up: Royd, Booth, Bridgeholme, Foot and Old Town

Dave Townsend’s men lifted themselves out of the bottom two in the Premier Division with a 72-run win.

Tom Earle showed the way with 73 in an opening stand of 106 with Simon Wheelwright (37) and although visiting skipper Jamie Sykes struck back with five wickets, Townsend (43)and Zeb Mahmood (29) lifted the total to 281.

Chris White took three wickets to leave SBCI on the ropes at 34 for four but Tom Conway (43), Simon Wood (52) and Sykes (67 no) provided strong resistance as SBCI finished on 209 for nine, their last pair denying ‘Royd three extra points.

SBCI are Saturday’s hosts against 2012 runners-up Booth, who look unlikely to go one place better than last year after falling 27 points behind leaders Jer Lane.

Lane won last Saturday’s meeting at Broadfold Park by three wickets.

Booth had high hopes at tea, having racked up 278 for six thanks to 70 from opener Patrick Thomas and 55 from the dependable Rob Laycock.

However, Raqeeb Younas continued his string of big scores for Lane with 73 before becoming one of Moazzam Ayub’s four victims.

Paul Chapman (30 no) and Nabil Khan (38 no) ensured Lane’s victory with some lusty blows at eight and nine.

In Division One, Oxenhope finally won a close match with a seven run home win over Outlane.

They lost opener Liam Dyson to the second ball of the match before Stuart Jackson (43) and Jack Barker (27) put on 50 for the second wicket.

The home side were reduced to 102 for seven before skipper for the day Darren Hopkinson crafted 54 invaluable runs, supported by Reece Webb-Foster, to get the home side to a total of 169.

Middle order men Ian Mellor (31), Alex Blagborough (24), Ben Dickens (35) and Jack Smith (38 no) took Outlane to 151 for six before Dyson (five for 47) returned to mop up the tail with assistance from Jackson (three for 24).

Oxenhope travel to Queensbury on Saturday while Bridgeholme host Sowerby SP and are in desperate need of points after slipping to the foot of the middle section.

The Eastwood side conceded an eight-day double to the Broomfield men, who got the 194 required for victory for the loss of only two wickets after Chris Kibble’s earlier 71.

Luddenden Foot’s hopes of a top two finish took another knock with an 88 run defeat by Stainland.

Chris Betts’ 103 put them on the back foot and although Jamie Hothersall took four catches and Chris Roy four wickets, Stainland made 242.

Only seventh wicket pair Isaac Baldwin (33 no) and Tom Hosker (42) buckled down as Foot replied with 154.

Old Town suffered a worrying four-wicket home defeat by struggling Greetland, after seven-wicket Talat Mahmood had dismissed them for 172.