Jack Lockwood and Daniel Hoyle starred as Hoylandswaine 2XI withstood a awkward counter-attack at Thurstonland to move into second. Lockwood (57) and Hoyle (55) crunched half-centuries to build on Jack Seddon’s earlier 42 as they were bowled out for 203. Shabeer Malik made a fifty in the reply but wickets by Luke Potter (4-74) and Saif Ur-Rehman (3-36) made sure of the win after the hosts were narrowly short on 190ao.
Marsden’s Parth Naik grabbed 4-21 and opening bowler Umar Shehzad took 3-39 as Emley Clarence were routed by being dismissed for 93. The table-toppers knocked it off for four wickets. Kirkheaton crushed rock-bottom Elland by setting 190-8 with Priyank Koli top scoring with 45. Michael Senior made 41 and Adeel Dar’s 39 put the game beyond Elland who were dismissed for 96. Archie Stokes was the best of the bowlers with 4-18.
Hall Bower’s Ben Balicki was central to Hall Bowers close win at home to Mirfield. He slammed 54 as they chased down 131 set by Mirfield but with two wickets remaining. Harry Bissett enjoyed a five wicket haul for Bower earlier. Cumberworth lost ground on the leaders by losing at Linthwaite. Raheel Akhtar’s 5-53 saw them bowled out for 98 to which Linthwaite replied with 100-7. Edgerton & Dalton’s Faisal Iqbal made 54 on their way to 220ao at home to Upperthong. The hosts made sure of a crucial victory by bowling ‘Thong out for 143 with opening bowlers Shiraz Ali (3-24) and Ammad Ansar Alam (3-51) helping themselves to the lion’s share.
In the Alliance, Skelmanthorpe took charge at the top with a brilliant victory against Scholes and Denby Dale first team homed in on second place by winning in a tough assignment at Armitage Bridge. Jordan Spencer hit 85 for Scholes who set 217-9 but Skelmanthorpe, who moved four points clear at the summit, bettered that with a 218-7 reply thanks to Joe Sykes (41) and Ryan Robinson (40). Denby Dale’s Malindu Maduranga claimed 4-43 and Jordan Geldart took 3-43 to bowl out Armitage Bridge 2XI for 125. Then Liam Greig painstakingly knitted together their 126-8 reply with 57. Golcar tied with Barkisland after they put up 176-7 featuring a Mark Turner half-century. Matt Bridges made 63 for the visitors but the loss of Darren Robinson (52) on the cusp of victory helped Golcar to a share of the spoils. Thongsbridge lifted themselves off the bottom with a win at home to Delph thanks to 4-29 from Usman Siddiq. Honley replaced them by losing at home to Almondbury for which professional Bernard Snyman crashed 101 from 98 balls to win by 6 wickets.
Can anyone stop Moorlands in Alliance Two? Holmfirth had a good effort after they had them at 36-5 chasing 123. Richard Firth scotched that by following up his 3-7 with 35no to protect the leader’s 100% record.
