Golcar came out on top in a final day shootout against Delph to finish as Jedi Championship title winners thanks to a Jimmy Howson innings that rescued them from capitulation. Howson’s cool 47 dragged Golcar to a memorable victory at a Swallow Lane tinderbox as leaders Delph were unseated on the final day. Long-serving batsman Howson dug in for 47 to drag Gocar from 58-5 to 188ao. Jay Cyrus spearheaded Golcar’s bowling attack to collect 4-45 to stun the visitors, who’d led the division for the majority of the season but lost their grip when it mattered. Delph last man Richard Simpson’s spirited 42 threatened to spoil the celebrations but he was finally bowled by Zac Hurley to complete a 31-run win.
Rastrick pulled off a measured chase to break Holmfirth hearts and dump them into the Conference. Captain Gareth Myers top scored with 48 as ‘Firth set a challenging 251 all out. Opposition skipper Jacob Waterson bettered that with an almost-double score of 96 not out to power a Rastrick’s 253-4 reply that consigned Holmfirth to a first ever relegation to the third tier.
James Sunderland sent Slaithwaite crashing to defeat which confirmed Meltham’s Championship status. The one-club man took 5-39 as the Hill Top men were sent tumbling to 121 all out chasing the visitor’s score of 187. Elsewhere, Denby piled up the score of the day with 370-8 against the hapless bowling of Birkby Rose Hill. Faisal Javed crashed a massive 231 from 144 balls with 26 fours and 16 sixes peppering the boundaries. Javed’s former Elland teammate Kaleel Ahmed snared 7-31 to complete the win.
In the remaining matches, Clayton West restored some pride following their relegation by inflicting an 85 run defeat on Shelley with captain Alex Clegg hammering 111. Shelley’s Kirin Green plundered 105 during their total of 224-9 in reply to the home side’s 309ao. T20 Shield victors Armitage Bridge crushed Lascelles Hall thanks to Jaycob Curtling’s 114. Connor Parr and Musa Ahmed both claimed four wickets as the visitors were bowled out for 132 in reply to Bridge’s 255-7.
