Honley and Mirfield Parish Cavaliers were left frustrated by the weather, finishing on the wrong side of DLS results against title contenders Moorlands and Skelmanthorpe. Scholes, Hoylandswaine and Thongsbridge were all foiled by the elements when in promising positions.
Lewis Evans (above) built a sublime century for Honley, but both the weather and a resurgent Moorlands reply denied them a desperately needed victory. Honley’s energetic efforts ultimately went to waste, despite South Australian Evans digging his side out of a hole on 62-4. He made 107 from 116 balls including 11 fours and a six, then found a willing partner in Lewis Kenworthy who added 79 in Honley’s 245-9 total. Tawkal Zadran claimed 5-59 for the home side who had to dig deep themselves to wrench a result from the match. Honley came tantalisingly close to usurping table-toppers Moorlands who are going strong in all domestic competitions. Marcus Walmsley (main image) was steadfast in his 64no by the time the weather forced a premature end with opening partner Shoukat Ali hitting 36. Moorlands finished two runs over the DLS threshold to continue their title charge. Honley meanwhile, had nothing to show for the efforts.
Just around the corner, second-placed Skelmanthorpe clinged on to Moorlands’ coat-tails with a pulsating DLS result away at relegation-threatened Mirfield Parish Cavaliers. Parish opening bats Euan Hardcastle and Nick Sharp both plundered half-centuries as Skelmanthorpe’s bowlers were taken to task. Hardcastle notched 56 and former Kirkburton all-rounder Sharp was his side’s most effective batter with 79 as they put on 130 for the first wicket. Adam Spendlow added 35 and Tom Olsen hit 41 but the visitors got back into the game after Prayesh Kumar Singh grabbed his 50th Skelmanthore wicket when taking 5-70 and Kian Schwartz claimed 3-89. Parish’s total of 270ao was reduced with the visitors keeping precious wickets back as they challenged hard. Jack Newby (above) - in a rich vein of form - scored 72 to total 399 runs in the past five matches alone. Olsen’s 4-50 wasn’t enough in a high scoring match as Skelmanthorpe successfully rounded on 189-4.
Rain scuppered the rest of the Premiership programme with Scholes possibly feeling most aggrieved by finishing just five overs from claiming a result. They had their hosts Almondbury Wesleyans on the back foot on 75-6 chasing their 185-8 with Josh Brook, Wasim Javed and Jake Lockwood all picking up two wickets. Brothers Bradley and Benji Birkhead (above) earlier hit similar scores of 43 and 45 respectively.
Thongsbridge were denied what was set to be a bumper total at Barkisland. They zoomed to 106-3 in just 13 overs with Ben Raven-Hill (above) primed on 47no before the weather frustrated them. Hoylandswaine progressed to 90-2 at home to Kirkburton with Furqan Shafiq set nicely on 44no but no further play was possible and Broad Oak’s match at home to Shepley was completely washed out.
