A superb century from Thongsbridge’s Jack Lees pointed Honley towards an early Sykes Cup exit as they overhauled a daunting total. Kirkburton’s excellent league form deserted them after they were dumped out by Broad Oak and a brutal onslaught by Ben Dyson booked Skelmanthorpe’s passage past Barkisland. Holders Moorlands and their final rivals for the past two seasons, Hoylandswaine both brushed aside same-division opposition and Championship clubs Armitage Bridge and Shelley both progressed into the quarter finals.
Jack Lees crashed a superb 125 from 106 balls as Thongsbridge overturned a taxing chase to send Honley out of a competition they’ve struggled to adapt to since their last semi-final appearance in 2007. The young cricketer from Central Gauteng Lions in South Africa hit 16 fours and 3 sixes in a phenomenal display of batting as they chased down Honley’s 270-8 total. Simon Kelly (90, above) and Harry Moore (76) had the visitors in a commanding position when they put on 169 for the first wicket but were guilty of not putting the game beyond their hosts. Thongsbridge battled back with Lees taking 3-58 before he turned destroyer in the reply. Jiveshen Pillay (57) hit his third half-century and set the scene for Lees’ heroics as they finished on 274-4 with five overs remaining.
33 balls was all it took to end Barkisland’s Sykes Cup interest after a seering batting display by Ben Dyson saw Skelmanthorpe through. Matty Weston’s 80 had set up an intimidating 242-9 total for Barkisland with Prayesh Kumar Singh (4-54) performing the best with the ball for the visitors. At 136-7 the match had swung Barkisland’s favour after Cameron Van Rensburg (5-44) made the most of his ten overs. However Dyson preyed on less experienced bowling to score 59 from just 33 balls sending 8 fours and 3 sixes over the boundary. Harlan Greig (59, above) was nearly as potent coming off 50 balls and Skelmanthorpe reached 243-7 with six overs to play.
Broad Oak skipper Fletcher Coutts (above) unravelled Kirkburton to take his side into the Sykes Cup quarters. He top scored with 40 in Oak’s 183-9 total with contributions throughout the order helping them get there, namely from Connor Dimech (34) and Cameron Todd (21). Kirkburton unravelled after a steady start saw them crash from 40-1 to 69-5. Coutts claimed 4-29 and Todd 3-10 as Burton’s consistent league form deserted them to finish 116ao.
Photo courtesy of Ray Spencer / Bradford Cricket League
Marcus Walmsley (above) continues to impress after he smashed 80 at Scholes to see holders through at their expense. The former Ossett and Methley man is averaging over 60 runs so far as he and Shoukat Ali (64) laid siege to Scholes, who exhausted eight bowlers in an effort to stem the tide. Siraj Sajid (52) added a half century as Moorlands set 279-7 batting first. The hosts, who will be glad to see the back of Moorlands following their second successive loss of the weekend to them, crashed to 77-6 in reply. Spinner Sajid took 6-28 in a mesmerising ten over spell before Jake Lockwood (41) restored some pride before finishing on 167ao.
Duncan Brown and Asif Iqbal both registered half-centuries for Hoylandswaine who made sure of their quarter final place at home to Shepley, the team that defeated them in the league just a week earlier. Shepley battled hard to rein them in with former player Max Joice grabbing three late wickets to give them 246ao to pursue. A strong batting display from Dan Wood (81, above) and Joice (40), with Shepley well-positioned on 149-2 threatened an early exit. However the removal of his former teammate by Chris Holliday set a Shepley mini-collapse in motion and they were dismissed for 190.
Birkby Rose Hill suffered losing two wickets in a hectic first over against Premiership opponents Mirfield Parish Cavaliers which ultimately cost them the chance to progress. Tom Fretwell (2-32) was the nuisance as Birkby were eventually dismissed for 126. Australian Brayden Brehaut added to his two wickets and made an unbeaten 37 as Parish knocked the runs off for five wickets.
Shelley - who provided the shock of the first round - found easier prey to progress to the quarters as they defeated the only Conference side left in; Kirkheaton. Opening batsmen Harvey Jones (93) and George Barden (46, above) put on 82 for the first wicket which led to a sizable first innings total of 230-6. Kirtkheaton skipper Reece Abrams top scored with 26 but his side were never in the hunt and subsided to 138ao. Maaiz Khan took 3-26 for the visitors.
The all-Championship affair between Armitage Bridge and Lascelles Hall went the way of the home side in convincing fashion. Chris Dennison irritatingly missed out on a collection after being caught for a run-a-ball 99 and his opening partner Bevan Coveley (55, above) hit a half century as Bridge put up a mammoth 318-6. Omar Shaffiq contributed 66 and claimed a wicket in the reply with Hall bowled out for 148 chasing aggressively. Connor Parr, the evergreen Darren Hinchliffe and Jaycob Curtling all collected two wickets for the hosts.
