The Premiership team score record was smashed in emphatic circumstances as Hoylandswaine wrapped up their fifth consecutive Byrom Shield - and 7th in 12 seasons - by conducting an annihilation away at Almondbury Wesleyan. Conversely Delph & Dobcross, a Premiership team since 2000, were the first to confirm their relegation after Broad Oak sealed their fate. Golcar and Armitage Bridge suffered hammer blows by both falling to defeat and slipped further behind in the relegation scrap.
Rampant Hoylandswaine obliterated Almondbury Wesleyan to secure the Premiership title after a batting blitz smashed the Premiership team score record. Leicestershire’s Arron Lilley (pictured above) was in blistering form at Kaye Lane to lash an incredibly quick century which was backed up by Jack Seddon’s equally brutal ton. Furqan Shafiq’s brisk 71 set a tone which opened the door to the destructive Lilley who went on to crash 121 runs off only 54 balls. The match was a foregone conclusion once he was out, with Barrie Frankland helping himself to 76. Astoundingly, wicketkeeper Jack Seddon had a marginally better strike rate than Lilley by pummelling 110 runs from 48 balls before Adeel Baig (32) and Max Morley (23) ended the innings with a flourish as Hoylandswaine set a gargantuan 475ao from 50 overs. An eye-watering total of 80 boundaries were scored (52 fours, 28 sixes) on an afternoon where Hoylandswaine 2XI also hit a huge 316-9 at home to Thurstonland. Swaine’s Umer Yaqoob, opening in the absence of regular strike bowler Junaid Khan, claimed 7-37 in a subdued reply for Wesleyan although Nathan Kenworthy (81) applied himself well to lend some respect to the final score of 204ao. However, congratulations must go to Hoylandswaine for the phenomenal manner of their victory.
A valiant run chase by second-placed Honley fell ten runs short at Scholes in an entertaining match that saw a combined 658 runs scored. Scholes set the pace with an imposing 334-9 where all the top four batsmen made heavy impressions. Opener Nico Georgiou-Nicola (pictured above) made 93 and Yaasir Imtiaz hit 77 to put on 148 runs for the first wicket. Jack Shelley (39) and Benji Birkhead (78) added to the carnage with Lewis Kenworthy taking a notable 7-86 for Honley. The visitors reply was equally as strong with Lewis Evans (91) and Timmy Taylor (74) top scoring. However, Taylor’s dismissal at 166-2 slowed their momentum as Scholes bowlers Imtiaz (5-61) and Alex Walker (3-67) chipped away. Kenworthy and skipper Danny Howard both scored fluent 33’s as they chased the win but they were the final two wickets to fall and Honley narrowly missed out.
Fletcher Coutts (pictured above) performed a coup de grâce on Delph as their disappointing league campaign - in contrast to their T20 exploits - was capped with confirmation of their relegation at the hands of visitors Broad Oak. Coutts took 5-23 and Adam France helped himself to 4-20 to dismiss the home side cheaply, for whom Lucas Selby top scored with 25. Daniel Rushworth grafted his way to 22 in the midst of a spirited Delph fightback with the ball, but their lowly 93ao was always going to be tough to defend. Coutts injected Oak’s innings with the impetus required to hit a belligerent 32, just as their reply was flagging but they emerged worthy winners on 98-7.
Alex Blagborough and Saqib Matlub’s gallant batting displays away at Thongsbridge ultimately counted for nothing as Armitage Bridge suffered their second successive defeat to fall further behind safety. Blagborough (68) and Matlub (64) were the visitors’ top scorers as they made a steady 236-4 but it was easily overhauled by Thongsbridge. Their 237-2 reply was anchored by Ben Raven-Hill’s excellent 86no which offered in-form overseas Pragam Sharma (pictured above) the platform to shine. The Indian smashed 90no from 68 balls to lead his team to victory with 14 overs left to play.
Harry Finch (pictured above, left) scored his third half-century of the season for Barkisland who ruthlessly condemned Golcar to defeat which extended the gap to safety to seven points. Finch’s 57 was crucial in Barkisland’s 188-9 total with Golcar’s Ryan Adams and Steve Whitwam sharing six wickets between them. Golcar servant Whitwam (24) was the ninth wicket to fall in a sullen reply of 78ao as his side were well-beaten by the visitors for whom spinner Cameron Van Rensburg took 5-35 and pace man Numan Akbar 3-27.
Safety was all but confirmed for Sykes Cup winners Moorlands who returned to the site of their trophy success; Shepley and recorded the win that took them eight points - and two places - from the drop zone. Former Shepley all-rounder took 3-20 on his return to Marsh Lane as the absence-ridden home side were dismissed for 166, with Craig Glover, who opened the batting, top scoring on 37. Moorlands opener Gharib Nawaz (51, pictured above) then laid the foundation for their victorious reply of 168-4 which was completed by Siraj Sajid’s 48no.
Kirkburton’s Roscoe Tahttil (pictured above) scored his fourth half-century on the trot to consign hosts Skelmanthorpe to their third consecutive loss. The Sri-Lankan, enjoying his third season with Kirkburton, was again in fine form as he hit 64 in the visitors’ 204-9. Paul Cummins took 4-45 and scored 38 with the bat, but a trio of Kirkburton bowlers in Andrew Smith, Tom Burkinshaw and John Keeling, took three wickets apiece as Skelmanthorpe were bowled out for 135.
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