Premiership bowlers suffered and record books were hurriedly being checked after no less than five centuries and two double centuries were scored on a high-octane Sunday Premiership programme. Charlie Roebuck (featured image) made a serious bid to overhaul Tim Siefert’s four year old record with a double century for Broad Oak and Honley’s Simon Kelly mirrored that at Far End Lane. Shepley’s riveting run-chase away at Thongsbridge meant that after only six matchdays, every team has lost at least one match in what is a captivating season already.

Drakes Premiership

A 300+ run opening stand set the tone for rampant Broad Oak - and coincidentally the rest of the Premiership - in a remarkable match at home to Armitage Bridge. The Oak returned to winning ways in emphatic style and aggressive opening batsman Charlie Roebuck (216) was at the root of their success with a stunning double century. An incredible 38 boundaries whizzed past the ropes at Broad Oak off Roebuck’s bat with 31 fours and 7 sixes scored in his 138-ball knock. Fellow opener Dominic Finn (103no) still found time to carve a far more conservative century from 147 balls containing 11 fours as Oak finished on 369-3 from fifty bruising overs for the visitors. Even in the modern “chase anything” era of cricket which we currently find ourselves it was always likely to be a tough ask for Bridge and their reply ebbed away to 234-8. Oak captain Jack Hargreaves felt there was enough of a cushion to give his lesser-used bowlers a run-out using seven during the innings. Marco Van Biljon (61) made a half-century and eight Bridge batsmen made double figures in a remarkable match that produced 603 runs in total.

Shelley’s luckless bowlers were also flayed by seasoned Honley opening batsman Simon Kelly. The former skipper has graced the Far End Lane pitch for nearly two decades with many successes to his name, notably the six Byrom Shields, two Sykes Cups and a Black Sheep Trophy during the successful mid-to-late-noughties period. However his double century at home to Shelley will surely rank right up with the best as Honley also got back to winning ways following defeat the previous day at Shepley. Kelly (200) scored at just under a run-a-ball in a superb innings that included 26 fours and 3 sixes. Youngster Owen Kenworthy (65) joined Kelly at the crease for much of that double-century and was rewarded with a maiden half-century of his own. Eddie Wilson added a quick 65 from 21 balls to further worsen the morale-sapped Shelley bowling figures as the hosts made 372-4. The visitors made a spirited reply of 173ao with openers Louis Sykes (40) and Hasnat Yousef (62) making their mark but the rest of the reply faded fast after Lewis Kenworthy (4-15) took control.

Max Joice help make it a perfect double header for Shepley away at leaders Thongsbridge. The visitors were hampered by the loss of talismanic bowler Nasir Jamal to injury and along with the missing Danny Glover, the Shepley bowlers toiled. Haydn Slodecki (121no) and Richard Marshall (83) mercilessly got into the depleted Shepley attack as Thongsbridge made 287-7. The reply got off to a rocky start after both openers Dan Wood and Tom Chadwick were out before making an impact. However the experienced Joice (128no) laid anchor in matchwinning 98-ball display. The former Hoylandswaine and Honley man smashed 18 fours and 3 sixes with the hosts unable to make the crucial breakthrough. Nadim Hussain (45) added important support and in the end, Shepley cruised to victory in apparent ease with over six overs left to play.

Barkisland also recorded two weekend wins after holding off Almondbury Wesleyans. Will Binns’ men are becoming the divisions nearly men having been involved in numerous close matches this season and they fell just six runs short in a gripping contest between the two promoted sides. Barkisland batting first made 214ao with a solid team performance with six batters hitting double figures; overseas pro Sachin Jayawardena (45) the highest scorer. Freddie Walker put in a trademark all-round performance taking four Barkisland wickets in the first innings and following it up with a superb century for it to ultimately be in vain. Walker (105) rebuilt his team’s innings after they slumped to 10-5 in the reply. A 160-run partnership with Musa Ahmed (72no) looked to have turned the tide in Wesleyans’ favour but it was Jayawardena (5-36) with the crucial breakthrough. The hosts then stuttered with the final wickets falling agonisingly short on 209ao.
Shoukat Ali’s ton slayed Scholes at Moorlands’ Memorial Ground as the new signing helped himself to a winning score whilst chasing down the visitors’ 213-8. Earlier, the wicket of Joe Carter (66) turned things around for the hosts who were facing a daunting target with the dangerous kiwi in the zone. The rest of Scholes’ prolific batsmen misfired too with Nicky Smith (3-52) and Ali (3-10) reining them in. Ali (107no) then put the Scholes bowlers to the sword along with Siraj Sajid (68) to ease home on 215-3 with 19 balls remaining.

Delph faced off against two of their former players at home to Hoylandswaine. Waqas Maqsood who enjoyed a successful 2018 as their overseas was kept relatively quiet although he still picked up two wickets with Delph batting first. The hosts careful start hit a snag with two quick wickets falling before drinks and from there, spinner Gurman Randhawa (5-17) took the game by the scruff of the neck with a virtual unplayable performance. Aside from middle order new signing Adam Hayes (31) belligerently taking the game to the current champions, the tail melted away to a modest 143ao. Hoylandswaine had worries of their own after opening bowlers Shak Muhammad (2-64) and Umer Yaqoob (2-49) landed an early blow to rattle the visitors at 11-3. Two Leicestershire teammates Harry Dearden and former Delph player Arron Lilley soon settled any Swaine nerves with a series of powerfully hit boundaries. Lilley (33) was caught in the deep but not after he’d contributed to a 80-run partnership and Dearden (77no) steered them home for a comfortable win on 146-5 in 25 overs. 

Jake Lockwood celebrated his return to the Golcar 1XI from injury in fine style with a matchwinning innings that sent visiting Kirkburton to defeat. Toby Booth’s side set Golcar a challenging 212ao total to chase with opener Andrew Smith (68) adding another notable score and overseas Roscoe Tahttil (57) making his presence felt with a half-century. However Lockwood (81no) and Steve Whitwam (54), captaining the side in the absence of Jack McNamara sent the hosts on their way to valuable win racking up 213-3 in their 43 over reply.