Lightcliffe are handsome final winners

Moin Ashraf did early damage with the ball for Lightcliffe in the Priesatley Cup final

After coming so close to winning a major trophy last season when pipped by Woodlands for the title, they won the 2013 cup competition yesterday with a convincing seven-wicket win over Hanging Heaton at Farsley.

When skipper Chris Taylor lifted the trophy it was the first time a Lightcliffe skipper had done so since 1964.

Taylor immediately dedicated the success to the club’s late committee men Robert Brooke, who died recently having been scorer for the side in the semi-final win at Pudsey St Lawrence.

Lightcliffe’s bowlers did a decent job to limit Hanging Heaton to 189 for nine, receiving assistance from a Red Lane wicket still offering some life after the heavy rain earlier in the weekend.

Yorkshire’s Moin Ashraf struck the first blows with the total on 20, having Heaton skipper Mark Lawson and ex-Illingworth and Yorkshire player Gary Fellows caught behind by Mark Horne.

Left-hander Joe Fraser (45) and ex-Halifax Town central defender James Stansfield (88 no) did a good job in repairing the damage.

Fraser departed with the score on 98 but Stansfield continued to bat sensibly while wickets tumbled around him and his knock earned him the man of the match award.

Ashraf finished with three for 32 and Suleman Khan and Mohammed Rasool picked up a couple of wickets each.

Taylor (41) was his usual solid, steady self and added 64 with Charles Roebuck (32) and 69 with Alex Stead (45) to put Lightcliffe’s reply firmly on course.

Stead departed with only 14 needed and Oliver Robinson (41 no) sealed a famous victory for the Halifax side, and a sixth Priestley Cup triumph in total, with successive fours taken off spinner Jamie Baulk.

Lightcliffe v Hanging Heaton

Lightcliffe won by seven wkts.

HANGING HEATON 189 for nine

G Fellows c M Horne b M Ashraf 5

M Lawson* c M Horne b M Ashraf 0

J Fraser c A Stead b S Khan 56

J Stansfield not out 88

I Dawood lbw b M Rasool 7

D Stiff c O Robinson b J Wheatley 5

J Suggitt+ c J Wilson b S Khan 0

J Lacey b M Rasool 0

D Busfield b M Ashraf 7

J Baulk c D Hester b O Robinson 0

J Carruthers not out 1

Extras 20

Bowling: M Ashraf 10.0 3 32 3, O Robinson 9.0 0 34 1, A Stead 3.0 0 17 0, S Khan 10.0 3 35 2, J Wheatley 10.0 1 27 1, M Rasool 8.0 0 41 2.

LIGHTCLIFFE 192 for three

C Roebuck st J Suggitt b J Carruthers 32

C Taylor lbw b I Dawood 41

A Stead lbw b M Lawson 45

O Robinson not out 41

D Hester not out 4

Extras 29

Bowling: D Stiff 10.0 2 25 0, D Busfield 7.0 0 41 0, G Fellows 2.0 0 19 0, J Carruthers 4.0 0 19 1, M Lawson 7.0 0 32 1, J Baulk 6.5 0 31 0, I Dawood 2.0 1 12 1.