Mosun Hussain (Delph & Dobcross) brought down struggling Golcar with a slick 107no - the powerful openers third century in 7 matches - as the reigning Champions kept up their 100% record with a straight-forward home win.
Picture courtesy of Yorkshire CCC.
Hoylandswaine needed to draw upon their deepest resources to maintain their 4 point lead and 100% start to the season against third placed Honley. Delph & Dobcross kept up the pace in second place with an emphatic win at home to Golcar.
High flying Honley had their wings clipped away at the current league leaders but not before giving them a strong test of their credentials in a superb see-saw match at Haigh Lane. After inserting Hoylandswaine to bat first they had their hosts on the back foot with a couple of early wickets. A hundred stand from Max Joice (78) & SP Singh (59) rebuilt Swaine's innings and a late blast of the bat from Bilal (21) set 288-9. Honley knew to stand a chance a good start to the reply would be imperative and enjoyed a superb opening stand between Simon Kelly (62) & William Fraine (54) to furrow brows amongst the Hoylandswaine spectators. Wickets then started to fall at vital times for Honley and soon a commanding position developed into a precarious position. Scoreboard pressure ultimately told in then end as Honley stumbled 30 runs short, Bilal causing the most damage with 5-77.
The last thing that Golcar needed during a turbulent season so far was a journey to current champions, undefeated Delph & Dobcross. Their cause was even further hampered by their captain Steve Whitwam being unavailable for the weekend and injuries to key first team players Coetzer, Hinchliffe and Lockley. Having been asked to bat Golcar may have feared the worst losing Abdul Wahid after the 4th ball of the innings. However a good 6th wicket partnership between Craig Ruscoe (23) and Dan Woodhead (39), along with some generous extras bowled installed some much-needed pride. 14 year old Xander Selby (2-23) shined in the Delph bowling with the key wicket that broke that stand by bowling the dangerous Ruscoe as Golcar then collapsed to 178ao. This was never likely to seriously trouble Delph on a good home wicket and so it proved as Delph coasted to victory in under 30 overs. Former Yorkshire Academy player Mosun Hussain is simply loving life at Huddersfield Road and he bagged his third century of the season with a scintillating 107no off 92 balls. Fellow opener Nathan Jones (41) also starred as Delph secured an easy win for the loss of just one wicket.
Moorlands continued their brilliant return to the Premiership with another win away to fellow promoted side Thongsbridge, but were made to work hard in a low-scoring match. Thongsbridge's 131ao, kept in check by Moorlands' bowlers Nicky Smith (4-42 and Darrell Sykes (4-8), was anything but straight forward to chase and they were left to thank Cameron French (42) as they sneaked home with one wicket to spare. Tom Raven-Hill (4-30) and David Wagstaff (3-50) the Thongsbridge bowlers worrying the visitors.
Shepley seem to be involved in thrillers every other week and their 4 run victory against Barkisland at Marsh Lane was another match where they just had that 1% more in the tank. Shepley grafted to 157ao and lower-order batsman Danny Wood's 41 proved vital in the end. Shepley welcomed back captain Danny Glover (3-30) and along with the lethal Nasir Jamal (5-25) denied the visitors a much needed win in their fight against relegation as they finished on 153ao despite Ben Westbrook's battling 58. Barkisland will value the two points collected by running their hosts so close though.
In a battle at the bottom Armitage Bridge recorded a priceless victory at home to Skelmanthorpe after bowling their visitors out for 114. Danny Moorhouse, another returning captain was invaluable with a five wicket haul to send Skelmanthorpe into a spin. Ibrar Younas' 38no not enough to put any realistic scoreboard pressure on the host side. In reply they reached their target for the loss of 5 wickets thanks to Matlub (44) and NZ-er Jaycub Curtling (28).
Scholes's slipped to a second defeat in a miserable weekend in a tough fixture away at improving Cawthorne. They were bowled out for 70, tormented by bowlers Dan Strickland (4-21) and Liam Wiles (3-11) and it was Wiles himself which helped Cawthorne survive an uncomfortable spell chasing with 25no. Cawthorne cruising to victory at 74-4.
Broad Oak (216-6) were winners at home to Kirkburton (215-9) in the days other match although no individual information was available.
