Title joy for Jamie and SBCI

The Church Institute had a 26-run home win over Low Moor to ensure they held off the challenge of Queensbury, both teams having already been assured of promotion.

SBCI, seven points ahead of Queensbury before the start of play, knew it was all over at tea time when they had maximum batting points in the bag and news filtered through that Queensbury had failed to bowl out Outlane and could only pick up a maximum of nine points.

George Hampshire’s 75 and some lusty late hitting from Charles Hyland and Robin Hanson - including 25 off the last over - helped SBCI to 213 for seven.

Hanson followed up with four wickets as Low Moor were dismissed for 187.

Ex-Barkisland player Sykes is stepping down as captain, as he prepares to become a dad next month, after an eventful spell at the helm.

SBCI won the league and Parish Cup in 2012, only to be relegated last year.

Now they can look forward to life back in the top flight and Sykes said: “I’m very happy that we are going back to the Premier.

“The players have shown more fight for the team and the club this year.”

While there was joy for SBCI, there was dismay in the Premier for Bradshaw, who went down alongside Sowerby St Peters.

Bradshaw have fought hard following the loss of key players.

They controversially picked up 12 points when Triangle didn’t have seven players at start time on a wet Saturday but even that and a five-wicket final day win at Warley worth eight points wasn’t enough to save them.

Blackley survived by the skin of their teeth, finishing one point ahead of them in spite of a 38-run defeat at Copley yesterday.

Copley made 228 for nine and at 16 for three it was looking bleak for Blackley. However, Reece Jennison (91) came to the rescue again, adding 121 with Dan Houldin (40) as Blackley bagged maximum batting points at 190 all out.

Booth beat 10-man Calder Valley rivals Mytholmroyd by nine wickets to take the runners-up spot behind Jer Lane, champions for the second year running.

Lane won by 18 points last season and have extended that to 24 this time, finishing off with a 17-run success at Thornton where Simon Collins made 131 not out.

Clayton, another club hit by departures before the start of the season, have joined Outlane in being relegated from the middle section.

A two-wicket defeat at Oxenhope, where they were bowled out for 185, sealed their fate.

Stones snatched the runners-up spot from Wibsey Park Chapel in Division Two.

Wibsey had a three-point advantage over the Ripponden side heading into the final programme but Wibsey collected only two points after being bowled out for 121 at home by runaway champions Bridgeholme and Stones picked up nine points from a seven-wicket success against Greetland.

Among the second teams, Copley have finished runners-up to already crowned champions Warley.

Clayton’s gloom was added to be relegation for their seconds in the Premier alongside Sowerby St Peters.

Mytholmroyd clinched the runners-up berth behind Southowram in Division One.

Oxenhope and Low Moor make the drop, Moor having fewer 12-point wins than Wibsey Park Chapel who finished level on points with them.

Bridgeholme seconds made it a double celebration for the Eastwood club. They snatched the Division Two title when they crushed Luddenden Foot by 140 runs and Greetland lost by four wickets at Bradshaw.