Day of shocks in Premier Division of Halifax Cricket League

Triangle was the major benefactor as it went 7 points (Covid-19 adjusted) clear at the top.

The biggest shock of the season thus far came at second-placed Illingworth St Mary’s where visiting SBCI batted first and scored 184-9, including 49 from Sam Hinchcliffe. It looked an achievable target but the situation changed dramatically after tea when the home team was soon struggling at 21-5. Four of the wickets fell for six runs as Oliver Benson (4-15) proved practically unplayable and it was not too long before the remaining five batsmen were removed to give SBCI a memorable 12 points, as the Illingworth players could hardly look at a scoreboard showing 68 all out.

There was another shock at third-placed Bradshaw where the home team found itself in all sorts of trouble against Copley. The first six batsmen all failed to get past a score of 5 runs, as Ian Hartley (2-34) and Oliver Thorpe (4-21) combined to reduce the home team to a bewildering 28-6. Once the latter two had completed their allocations a solo revival by Piers Fisher (77 not out) was certainly needed to gain some respectability to take the score to 139 all out. However Copley was not going to let the opportunity to improve its table position and, despite a few nerves and hiccups, it reached a winning 141-6 as Alex Rowles hit 43 not out.

Booth took advantage of the two slip-ups and went to town against bottom-of-the Shelf Northowram HT and rattled up a large target of 305 all out, batting first at Broad Fold Park. Unsurprisingly it was Robert Laycock (141) that capitalised, taking his season’s total thus far to 494 runs in all matches and claiming a personal best score into the bargain. He was supported by a succession of batsmen who simply let him take the lead. Full credit to Hedge Top bowler Rizwan Saghir who persevered to claim 5-92. And further credit to its opener and skipper, Daniel Cole (100 not out), who batted 45 overs to score a century in reply, unfortunately short of anyone long enough to stay with him. Nigel Horsfall (4-45) was the best bowler as the visitors closed on 208-8.

At the start of its innings leaders Triangle found the going tougher than normal at home to Thornton as none of its top six batsmen passed 35 runs with tight bowling from the visiting five bowlers restricting the scoring. However Edward Denham (44 not out) launched a counter attack and the home team closed on 236-9. The Thornton top order is having a poor season, best illustrated by the fact that Josh Hutchinson recorded his fourth score under 10, and it was again struggling at 25-3.

Tim Shackleton (66), again, tried to rescue the situation but when he was dismissed at 120-5 it was basically match over, the bowling honours going to Kurtis Whippey (6-68) as Thornton closed on 182 all out.

Sowerby Bridge’s Tom Belfield was well pleased with his all-round performance at Walton Strret and more so with the welcome 12 points versus Mythomroyd. Belfield first scored 45 runs, along with efforts from Tim Helliwell (57) and James Holdsworth (52) in a total of 219-6 and then proceeded to take 6-44 as the Royd was dismissed for 182. Royd’s best efforts came from Adrian Gawthrope (5-54) and Spencer Harris (48), the latter assisting a recovery from 68-6.

Blackley’s Wayne Swift (82) was the major contributor in a 189 all out total at Warley where third-change bowler Ian Shaw took 5-52. The home team required less than 34 overs to gain maximum points as Chris Atkinson (102 not out) timed his century to perfection. When he lost his partner Chris Marsh (78), after a second-wicket partnership of 172 runs, he still needed 12 runs for his ton but just managed it, despite Greg Keywood scoring four runs! Warley’s winning 190-2 dropped Blackley into the relegation places.

The top-of-the table First Division clash at Sowerby St Peter’s, where Luddendenfoot visited, was a low-scoring affair as the home team won by a margin of just 10 runs and, as a result, went 20 points clear at the top. Batting first Sowerby made 109 all out, dismissed in 33.2 overs as Ryan Allan (5-15) and Thomas Hosker (5-33) shared the wickets. Alas efforts of the two bowlers were to no avail as the Foot reply was even shorter – 99 all out in 25.4 overs. Ben Watkins (4-29), Martin Scholefield (4-38) and Patrick Lennon (2-24) were the bowlers responsible.

Low Moor HT enjoyed its afternoon at The Trinity Oval against Mount as its middle-order batsmen made considerable contributions including those from Jason Gelder (70), Matthew Jordan (55) and Mark Stokes (42) in a total of 245-6. Mount in reply failed to cope with the Trinity bowling, especially that of Connor Briscoe (5-25), and were 108 all out in 32.5 overs as the home team closed on second placed Foot, now just two points adrift.

Oxenhope’s poor run of form continued as it was bowled out for 100 runs chasing the small target of 126 all out, set by visitors’ Great Horton PC. Clayton set a target of 240-6 at Upper Hopton with skipper Joseph Brown (58 not out) leading the scoring closely followed by Adnaan Shafique (57). It was far too many for the home team whose bright start to the season is fading rapidly, not a surprise to one of its stalwarts. Hopton only made 88 all out as Sam Wilson recorded the best figures of his career with 7.5-5-8-6.

In the Second Division the fine run of Greetland continued apace as it went 18 points clear at the top of the table in beating Bradley & Colnebridge by 89 runs at The Holme. Batting first it scored 232 all out with Bradley & Colnebridge responding at 143 all out.

Cullingworth (110-4) easily accounted for Old Town (108 all out) at the Roydwood Grounds.

Bottom of the table Leymoor put up a much better batting performance in its home match against Southowram, in particular from Billy Walsh (52) and skipper Pierce Walker (44) as they tabled 208-7. However its bowlers continue to have problems and the Rams only required five batsmen to score 212-3 in reply with William Derby (56 not out) and Yasir Mahmood (54 not out) featuring in an unbroken fourth-wicket winning partnership of 116 runs.

Queensbury came crashing down to earth from the highs of 406-6 last week to an astonishing low of 64 all out at Outlane – funny game this cricket! The home side had scored an impressive 269-9, as eight batsmen reached double figures with skipper Adam Davies (77) leading the charge backed up by Callum Westwood (49). Queensbury tried six bowlers to slow the run rate but when it batted there was no talk of run rates as Zeeshan Rahman recorded personal best figures of 11.2-6-17-7 as only 22.2 overs were needed for Outlane to leapfrog its opponents and take second place in the table.

Bridgeholme appear to be the team for close finishes and, following its efforts last week, went one better this time as it travelled to Stones and won by 3 runs. Batting first it posted 176 all out with a team effort as runs were spread from most of its batsmen, Ethan Pollard the pick of the Stones bowlers with 4-28. The hosts reply was on target throughout, but never on top of the task, as opener Gary Hulme (41) set a sound base. However the plaudits for the match go to Bridgeholme skipper Mohammed Basharat as, following a knock of 33 not out, the handling of his five bowlers, all who took wickets, was a classic example of keeping the opposition batsmen under pressure. As Sohail Sajjad took 4-46 that pressure proved decisive and Stones fell those 3 runs short, despite having one wicket in hand.

Premier Division:

*Booth 305 (Rob Laycock 141, Sagar 5-92), Shelf Northowram HT 208-8 (D Cole 100no, Horsfall 4-45): pts 11-6. *Bradshaw 139 (Fisher 77no, Thorpe 4-21), Copley 141-6 (Rowles 43no): pts 2-12. SBCI 184-9 (Hinchcliffe 49), *Illingworth St Mary’s 68 (Benson 4-15): pts 2-12. *Sowerby Bridge 216-9 (Helliwell 57, Holdsworth 52, Belfield 45, Gawthrope (5-54), Mytholmroyd 182 (Harris 48, Belfield 6-44): pts 12-5. *Triangle 236-9 (Denham 44no), Thornton 182 (Shackleton 66, Whippey 6-68): pts 12-5. Blackley 189 (Swift 82, Shaw 5-52), *Warley 190-2 (Atkinson 102no, Marsh 78): pts 3-12.

First Division:

*Low Moor HT 245-6 (Gelder 70, Jordan 55, Stokes 42), Mount 108 (Briscoe 5-25): pts 12-2. Great Horton PC 126, *Oxenhope 100: pts 12-4. *Sowerby St Peter’s 109 (Allan 5-15, Hosker 5-33), Luddendenfoot 99 (Watkins 4-29, Scholefield 4-38); pts 12-3. Clayton 240-6 (Brown 58no, Shafique 57), Upper Hopton 88 (Wilson 5-8): pts 12-1.

Second Division:

Old Town 108, *Cullingworth 110-4: pts 2-12. *Greetland 232, Bradley & Colnebridge 143: pts 12-5. *Leymoor 208-7 (Walsh 52, Walker 44), Southowram 212-3 (Derby 56no, Mahmood 54no): pts 3-12. *Outlane 269-9 (Davies 77, Westwood 49), Queensbury 64 (Rahman 7-17): pts 12-2. Bridgeholme 176 (Et Pollard 4-28), *Stones 173-9 (Hulme 41, Sajjad 4-46): pts 12-5. Free Date: Augustinians