Shepley threw another spanner into Hoylandswaine’s title ambitions after Tom Denton’s batting heroics set up their demise at Marsh Lane. Marcus Walmsley fired a serious broadside for Moorlands by hammering a substantial century to overtake Thongsbridge’s weighty total. Lewis Evans crashed his first hundred of the campaign for Honley and Skelmanthorpe picked apart Scholes to move into third.
Long serving Shepley mainstay Tom Denton sprinkled more grit into Hoylandswaine’s well oiled machine with a masterful batting display against the Premiership champions. For years, Denton has impressively managed his professional football career with cricketing commitments at Marsh Lane and Danny Glover’s side benefitted massively from his availability to help plot a memorable win. George Booth’s well-earned 48 gave a platform for Denton to take the game to the visitors as he hit 72 in Shepley’s challenging 167-8 with Muhammad Azzharullah claiming 3-42. Hoylandswaine beetled their way to 56-1 and looked firmly in control with the ever-consistent Asif Iqbal making his way to fifty. Shepley’s bowlers removed him and began to make inroads as Oliver Davidson took 4-52 to help send the away side spinning towards defeat. Hoylandswaine eventually crashed to 163ao as Shepley registered their second win of the season.
Marcus Walmsley. Picture courtesy of Ray Spencer / Bradford Cricket League
Miry Lane witnessed a runfest as Thongsbridge piled up a 320-8 total at home to Moorlands. Opener Richard Marshall made 76 before South African batsman Jiv Pillay added 65 and Aussie Jack Lees racked up 89 from 48 balls. Marcus Wamsley took 4-86 but then went on to score a huge 152 from 129 balls. 18 fours and 5 sixes made their way over the boundaries before all-rounder Siraj Sajid (73) got in on the act as Moorlands replied with 321-3.
Skelmanthorpe moved to third in the table by taking advantage of Scholes’ travel-sick batsmen. ‘Shat’ were put under pressure by Scholes bowler Josh Brook who claimed 6-39. Captain Allan Greenwood pushed himself up the order for a Skelmanthorpe high score of 24 in their below-par 121ao but Scholes' batting evaporated once again on the road. Prayesh Kumar Singh (5-18) and Paul Cummins (4-15) were constant thorns as Scholes were castled for 91.
Kirkburton sank Almondbury Wesleyans at Riley Lane. Skipper Jonny Butterfield, opening the batting, made 40 before Saif Bhojani (62) enjoyed a half century. Chris Abbey took 7-66 for Wesleyans to size up Kirkburton’s 204. However they were sent home with nothing after Jack Byrne (4-39) and Roscoe Tahttil (4-22) undid the visitors’ batting with Almondbury Wes finishing on 132ao.
Lewis Evans carved a massive century to help Honley to back-to-back wins. Evans put Mirfield Parish Cavaliers to the sword by hammering 153 from 142 balls which contained 13 fours and 8 maximums. Timmy Taylor’s 63 added to the visitors’ displeasure as Honley set a huge 284-6. Brayden Brehaut claimed 3-61 but couldn’t match the hosts’ pace as Parish perished on 108ao. Joel Size (5-34) and Lewis Kenworthy (3-18) caused the damage for Honley.
Matty Weston’s 92 wasn’t enough for Barkisland who slumped to their second defeat of the weekend at Broad Oak which saw them slide down to fifth, Alex Slack, Fletcher Coutts and Dan Taylor all took three wickets each for the Oak who kept the visitors in check on 190ao. Two half-centuries were scored in Broad Oak’s 191-3 reply by Connor Dimech (54) and Cameron Todd (59no), both building on inroads made by Dom Finn (38). Fletcher Coutts finished it off with 34no.
