Triangle shaping up nicely but Halifax Cricket League title far from decided

With only five weekends remaining in the Premier Division it appears as if no team wishes to place a stranglehold on the championship trophy as leaders Triangle lost for the second week in succession and second-placed Booth missed a great opportunity to close the gap to only four points.

Coming fast up the rails are Mytholmroyd, seven-wicket winners at Grassy Bottom, to reduce its points gap to 18 on Triangle.

However the latter appear to have the easier run-in of the three and it will be helped by the fact that Booth entertain Mytholmroyd a week on Saturday.

The Royd’s latest win came as it bowled out Triangle for an unusually low score of 156 with Taufeeq Ahmed taking 5-60. Shazad Hassan (59 not out) and Tom Earle (53) then wasted no time in helping to reach a winning 162-3.

Booth was expected to beat Illingworth St Mary’s, especially when it scored 184-3 in its rain-reduced 25 overs, Hashim Wajid hammering 100 not out in 84 balls.

However St Mary’s, recovering from a dreadful mid-season spell, took up the challenge and led by Callum Cook (83) and finished off by Sohail Abbas (30 not out) it won with the very last ball of the match at 185-6.

At the opposite end of the table Sowerby Bridge earned a very valuable twelve points, beating Bradshaw by eight wickets. It bowled its visitors out for just 95 runs and at the same time dragged it into the relegation dog-fight – Bradshaw are just six points clear of the Bridge with Shelf Northowram HT now looking doomed.

Only two matches were completed in the First Division, due to weather and Covid-19 safety reasons. Second-placed Great Horton moved to within six points of leaders and rain victims Sowerby St Peter’s, with a comfortable 60 runs win at Mount.

Luddendenfoot are in third place just a further two points adrift. Oxenhope was the other winner on the day, by four wickets at Upper Hopton.

In the Second Division Old Town’s Jahinger Khan enjoyed the helpful conditions at Queensbury as he returned figures of 11.3-3-52-7.

The hosts fell to 85-9 but No 8 Gareth Walker then wielded the willow for 20 balls to score 51 invaluable runs before being last out, run out, in a 136 all out total.

Walker then proceeded to take 5-46 as Town, needing to reach a revised target of 105 runs fell apart once Adnaan Qamer (44) had been dismissed and were bowled out one run short at 104.

Greetland is still in the driving seat at the top with Bradley & Colnebridge second, 19 points behind.

Southowram’s surge up the table has hit the buffers as it lost again at Outlane. Outlane posted 158 all out with Qaiser Chaudhrey taking 6-47. That effort counted little as the Rams were soon back in the pavilion for 97 all out as Jonathan Krishnapillai took 5-22.

All Saturday’s fixtures should produce winners from the teams higher in the table with the most interest being in the Premier Divsion clash at SBCI, where Bradshaw visit, and at Bridgeholme in the Second where Greetland should enjoy the track and surroundings.

All attention on Sunday will be focused at Stones CC where the Covéa Insurance Crossley Shield Final (1:00 pm) takes place, contested by local rivals Sowerby Bridge and Sowerby St Peter’s.

If league form is an indicator then St Peter’s should start favourites but the Bridge’s knockout team differs slightly from its Saturday XI and a tight battle can be expected with that local spice an intriguing addition.