Bryn Jenkins (main image) kept unbeaten Almondbury Wesleyans’ promotion push firmly on course with a sublime innings to slay basement side Lascelles Hall. Holmfirth hurdled over Marsden into second spot after a resounding win and Skelmanthorpe did their chances of going up the power of good after their new overseas helped them succeed in a challenging run chase at Denby. Meltham proved too tough a nut to crack for Shelley in a tight 1-run win at Mean Lane and Elland finally reaped what they’d been sowing by beating Rastrick and moving above them at the bottom. Clayton West also collected a much-needed victory by bringing Thurstonland back down to earth with a devastating bowling performance.
Lascelles Hall Battered By Bryn’s Big Licks
Tom Binns scored a first half-century of the season for Almondbury Wes in their comprehensive win
Lowly Lascelles Hall had no answer to the batting masterclass that leaders Almondbury Wesleyans handed down to them as their grim campaign continued unabated. Bryn Jenkins (85) rained hellfire on them as he lashed 6 fours and 7 maximums in a painful 77-ball stay that put the game well beyond them. Captain Will Binns (30) played his part in a 67 run opening partnership before brother Tom (58) prolonged the agony for the visitors with a slower-paced half century. Jack Mulhall (3-65) asserted his stamp on the middle order but Wesleyans’ 242-6 looked to be way beyond their reach. The visitors acquitted themselves much better with the bat than the 20ao score they managed the previous matchday but they desperately required more potency chasing such a formidable total. Captain Tom Wightman (25) stood firm as his side slid to 53-6 and then wicketkeeper Shaun Woodhams (28) and Luke Jackson (25) had a bit of fun with the bat with pressure off as they managed to play through the full forty. Danny Moorhouse (3-43) picked up his 12th wicket of the season with Jack Atkinson (2-10), Ash Smith (2-35) and Tom Addy (2-39) sharing the rest. Wesleyans will take some stopping this season based on this form.
Rashid Destroys Marsden’s Early Work In Holmfirth Romp
Homfirth's Amar Rashid was in impervious form with the ball as the spinner took five wickets.
Leg spinner Amar Rashid made a mess of studious early innings-building by visiting Marsden to fire Holmfirth into second place. The Cuckoos looked to be in little trouble as Steve Butters Jnr (24) and Matthew Butters (34) painstakingly saw off the threat of Holmfirth’s bowling attack. Abbas Ahmed (3-17) and Rashid (4-22) then turned the innings inside out from nowhere to remove the two mainstays and rip through the rest of the order. Only 22 runs were scored by the remaining eight Marsden batsmen as the pair ran riot to skittle them out for precisely 100. Chris Cowell (52) took his season tally to 250 runs as he and close season signing from Halifax League outfit Warley Dominic Oates (40no) made no mistake in knocking off the runs for the loss of one wicket.
Shat’s New Man Makes Instant Impact Against Denby
Archie Greaves' 96 was in vain as Denby couldn't prevent Skelmanthorpe's resurgence.
Skelmanthorpe’s new foreign import arrived just in time to help bolster his new team and overhaul Denby’s imposing total. Sri Lankan Kasun Hewa made a breezy 63no on debut in just 32 balls to claim a big six points to remain firmly in the promotion picture. Earlier, Denby had set a strong 228-7 total thanks mainly to Archie Greaves’ 96, containing 6 fours and 9 sixes. His 110-run partnership with new Sri Lankan professional Sanoj Wijetung (60) provided the bedrock of the hosts’ innings as Skelmanthorpe’s bowlers struggled to assert control. Joe Sykes calmly forged a run-a-ball 39 in the second innings but it was old stager Ryan Robinson (54) that provided the impetus with his second fifty of the season. Denby’s tails were up when Tom Sanders (2-70) removed him with 80 runs left to score. However Hewa stepped up to guide his new side to victory with a crunching debut performance to guide Skelmanthorpe to a 2 wicket win on 233-8 with two overs remaining.
Sajjad Half-Century For Meltham Denies Shelley
Meltham showed they weren’t in the division to make up the numbers as their solid campaign moved up a notch after they edged past Shelley by the narrowest of margins to sneak above them in the table. Khuram Sajjad (51no) proved to be a nuisance in the middle of Meltham’s innings as they made 170-7 batting first with Shelley’s Matheesa Perera taking 3-18 for the visitors. Shelley’s charge was kept in check when batsman Harvey Jones (40) was removed by Metham captain Alex Clegg. They then began to slip behind the rate somewhat with Meltham bowlers keeping tight grip on proceedings. The visitors finished one run short of the target on 169-5 in a damaging defeat as they lost ground on the teams above them.
Elland Enjoy First Win To Ease Worries
Former Kirkburton man Rohan Randhawa notched his second five-fer in as many weeks in Elland's maiden 2021 win.
Elland finally earned their first win of the campaign but their batting woes continued in this derby success over Rastrick. Only once have they finished a match without losing all ten wickets, clearly marking an element of their performance they simply have to improve. They lumbered to 141ao but were grateful to Tom Thornton (34) and Ben Speak (27) who dug them out of a pickle with a 38-run partnership as they made 141ao. Impressive former Bankfoot bowler Samad Rahman took 6-22 for Rastrick as they ground Elland down. The hosts enjoyed a productive start to the reply as they sauntered to 36-0 before Elland slow bowlers Kaleel Ahmed (4-39) and Rohan Randhawa (5-24) turned the match on its head to scupper Rastrick’s efforts. Their hopes of a second win of the season were cut short and the fellow strugglers were dismissed well short on 94ao.
Seventh Heaven For Clayton West Quick Palkar
Ashay Palker was in irresistable form taking seven wickets for Clayton West.
Thurstonland warmed up ahead of a daunting Sykes Cup trip to Hoylandswaine in the worst possible style as they were routed by a stunning bowling performance by Clayton West’s Indian paceman Ashay Palkar. It’s probable that most of Thurstonland’s batting lineup had never faced bowling as potently fast as what the young Indian sent down when he steamed through the middle and lower order to end with figures of 7-21. Captain Russell Mottram (36) scored exactly half his team’s output but couldn’t prevent the pummelling they received as they collapsed to 72ao. Still, visitors Clayton West made heavier work than they needed to during the reply as they lost several wickets cheaply allowing Thurstonland to earn a point. Ashley Thompson (24no) toughed it out for 53 balls and Mark Hinchliffe (23) helped guide them home to 76-6 in 20 overs.
