Illingworth's sweet revenge

Illingworth breezed past Clayton by nine wickets in a top of the table Halifax League Division One clash, avenging a one-run away defeat three weeks earlier.
Actions from Illingworth v Blackley, at Illingworth CC. Pictured is Jamie MoorhouseActions from Illingworth v Blackley, at Illingworth CC. Pictured is Jamie Moorhouse
Actions from Illingworth v Blackley, at Illingworth CC. Pictured is Jamie Moorhouse

The visitors chose to bat but slumped to 24-6 with Jamie Moorhouse (3-39) and Luke Brooksby (3-21) using the cloudy conditions to swing the ball.

They were backed up with some sharp catches from their teammates, captain Ben Robertshaw’s one-handed grab in the gully being the pick of the bunch.

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Sam Wilson (26) top scored for Clayton and put on a solid partnership of 45 for the seventh wicket with Mitesh Mistry (17).

Stephen Cook, bowling for the first time in 2018 after a shoulder injury, broke the partnership by trapping league side player Wilson leg before and then bowled Matthew Roe with the next ball. Matthew Watson mopped up the last two wickets in quick succession to leave Clayton with a total of 78.

Illingworth’s batsmen were keen to avoid a similar start to the last meeting, when they slumped to 9-4. Callum Cook aggressively set about chasing down the target, hitting 38 out of the first 45 runs before he was bowled by Wilson. Daniel Murfet picked up where Cook left off, hitting two fours and two sixes to complete a 12-point victory for the league leaders, whilst Clayton left The Ainleys empty handed.

Clayton slipped to fourth place, being overtaken by Great Horton Park Chapel and Sowerby Bridge, who both bagged maximum points.

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Matthew Jordan is one of the section’s most successful bowlers and he took 7-40 as Blackley were all out for 118, the wicket of Adam Turner (41) being one to escape him.

Six batsmen made double-figure scores as Chapel scrambled a three-wicket win, having slid from 96-4 to 98-7.

Ashton Richardson’s 75 down the order was vital to Sowerby Bridge reaching 202-8 at home to Bradshaw after Aaron Buckley had taken four wickets to cause consternation in the home ranks.

Jake Dixon (4-41) and Steve Shannon (4-55) proved a useful combination for Bridge as Bradshaw were all out for 166 in reply with Simon Collins (43) the top scorer.

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The biggest score of the day among the Halifax first teams was made by Queensbury’s Joseph Clough at Stones.

He hit 182 and the home attack was further plagued by Josh Dougall (115 no) as ‘bury piled up 374-4.

Lowly Stones made a spirited 266-5 in reply with William Thickett (70) and Jacob Furness (52) prominent.

Scores: *Blackley 118 (Turner 41, Jordan 7-40), Great Horton PC 122-7: pts 3-12. Clayton 78, *Illingworth SM 79-1: pts 0-12. *Sowerby Bridge 202-8 (Richardson 75, Helliwell 44, Buckley 4-94), Bradshaw 166 (Collins 43, Dixon 4-41, Shannon 4-55): pts 12-4. Queensbury 374-4 (Clough 182, Dougall 115*), *Stones 266-5 (Thickett 70, Furness 52, O’Rourke 45): pts 10-4.

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Division Two leaders Mount were involved in a thrilling tie away to next-to-bottom Greetland.

The visitors must have been confident at tea, having posted 266 with a solid effort led by Mahmad Kayat (49), Mushtaq Alam’s 4-60 being the best bowling figures.

Greetland’s batsmen made steady progress before seventh-wicket pair Damien Reynolds (61 no) and Alam (65) put the cat among the pigeons.

Sixteen were needed off the last two overs and two run outs in the last over, including Alam’s, left honours even with Greetland 266-8.

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Old Town moved to within two points of Mount at the top after winning the Calder Valley derby by 42 runs at third-placed Luddenden Foot.

The visitors made 273 all out with 101 from Imran Aslam at the top of the order and 59 from No 6 Mohammed Jamil. Tom Hosker battled away with the ball to take 6-65.

Hosker then top scored with 49 for Foot but Ali Asghar’s 5-94 helped bowl them out for 231 and Town gained an eighth maximum points haul of the season.

Bradley & Colnebridge beat visitors Cullingworth by 27 runs despite being bowled out for 141 by Michael Bright (6-80) and Phil Poole (4-56).

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Cullingworth’s batting was again not up to the mark, Gordon Fletcher being left high and dry on 57 not out with the score on 114 as Yasir Arfat took 4-29 .

Leymoor middle order men Pierce Walker (71 no) and Martin Allison (61) set up a total of 235 and that proved too much for Low Moor, Daniel Murgatroyd (4-34) helping to wrapoup the Bradford side’s innings for 147.

Upper Hopton were handsome 117-run winners at Outlane, where their top order batsmen Ian Wightman (88), David Stones (63) and Graham Whitworth (50) led the way to 289-6.

Chris Brook hit 55 and Adam Davies 51 in reply but most of their teammates flopped and Outlane were all out for 172.

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Division Two:*Bradley & Colnebridge 141 (Bright 6-80, Poole 4-56), Cullingworth 114 (Fletcher 57*, Arfat 4-29): pts 4-12. Mount 266 (Kayat 49, I Rawat 46, Gheewala 43, Alam 4-60), *Greetland 266-8 (Alam 65, Reynolds 61*): pts 8-9. *Leymoor 235 (Walker 71*, Allison 61, Walkden 41), Low Moor HT 147 (Murgatroyd 4-34): pts 12-5. Old Town 273 (Aslam 101, Jamil 59, Hosker 6-65), *Luddenden Foot 231 (Hosker 49, Asghar 5-94): pts 12-6. Upper Hopton 289-6 (Wightman 88, Stones 63, Whitworth 50, Mitton 4-80), *Outlane 172 (Brook 55, Davies 51): pts 12-3.

Points (after 14): Mount 126, Old Town 123, Upper Hopton 121, Luddenden Foot 115, Bradley & Colnebridge 104, Leymoor 100, Outlane 86, Low Moor 86, Greetland 55, Cullingworth 38.

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