Some intriguing third round Parish Cup ties in prospect this weekend

This Second v First Division clash ensures a non-Premier team will reach the semi-finals. The remaining three ties all appear to be tight contests and hard to predict.

The tie at Walton Street pits Sowerby Bridge against Mytholmroyd where, coincidentally, in a league match last Saturday the Bridge won by 34 runs. SBCI will be buoyed by the excellent win at Illingworth St Mary’s last week and will have no fears travelling to holders Thornton, where the home team’s batting line-up is blowing more cold than hot this season.

The fourth tie should produce a plethora of runs at diminutive Grassy Bottom where Triangle host Booth. Both teams have batsmen capable of turning any match so expect at least a couple of high individual scores.

Last Saturday’s league programme produced a couple of shock wins that further indicated that the Premier title will not be decided until very late in the season.

The first came at second-placed Illingworth where visiting SBCI batted first and scored 184-9,

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 win, as the host players could hardly look at a scoreboard showing 68 all out.

The second shock came from Copley, struggling all season, as it produced a much improved performance at third-placed Bradshaw. The home team found itself in all sorts of early trouble as Its first six batsmen all failed to muster more than 5 runs, as Ian Hartley (2-34) and Oliver Thorpe (4-21) combined to reduce it to a bewildering 28-6. Despite Piers Fisher (77 not out) instituting a one-man recovery, to take the score to 139 all out, 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.

Triangle (81 pts) and Booth (74 pts) were the main benefactors of the shocks, as they beat Thornton and Shelf Northowram HT respectively, to take the top two spots.

The latter are surprisingly joined in the bottom two by Blackley, named title contenders by some pundits, who lost at Warley by eight wickets.

First Division Sowerby St Peter’s continued its drive to return to the top-flight in beating second-placed Luddendenfoot, but only just by 10 runs.

In a low scoring affair the leaders posted 109 all out as Ryan Allan (5-15) and Thomas Hosker (5-33) ripped through the line-up. The Foot’s batsmen however were not in such good touch and three Sowerby bowlers returned in kind and squeezed a win at 99 all out.

The lead at the top of the table is now 22 points over third-placed Low Moor HT, as Sowerby’s promotion is now an odds-on bet.

Surprise package of the season, Greetland, is in a similar healthy position at the top of the Second Division and hold an 18 point lead over second-placed Outlane. Its latest win came by 89 runs at The Holme against Bradley & Colnebridge, who will be hoping to fare much better in its aforementioned Parish Cup tie.