By Jamie Harrison, media manager, Huddersfield Cricket League
Sri Lankan overseas batsman Roscoe Thattil hammered a season’s best 163 not out – his second century in successive weeks – as Kirkburton demolished Broad Oak’s bowling attack.
Hoylandswaine surged five points clear at the top after they put Shepley to the sword with Moorlands in hot pursuit following their ten wicket victory at home in the ‘Mirfield derby’ against Mirfield Parish Cavaliers.
Barkisland nudged out Armitage Bridge in a nip and tuck encounter and Honley ran out worthy winners over high-flying Golcar.
At the foot of the table; Delph & Dobcross thwarted a spirited Slaithwaite comeback to make a big leap into safer waters with a two wicket victory.
Roscoe Fires Season’s Best Score In Kirkburton Win
Kirkburton’s Roscoe Tahttil hammered his second mighty century in as many weeks by helping his side to an emphatic victory over hosts Broad Oak.
He followed up his previous 120 at home to Thongsbridge with an even more substantial 163no as the visitors piled on the runs.
Tahttil’s contribution, of which he scored 23 fours and a single six, was by far the biggest in Kirkburton’s 272-7.
Jonny Butterfield’s 26 was next nearest with Alistair Snowden (3-56) faring the best from Broad Oak’s demotivated bowlers. The dismissal of Charlie Roebuck (27) served to derail any notion’s Broad Oak may have harboured of overhauling their imposing target but they still made a reasonable fist of the reply.
Harvey Anderson (30), Sean Mee (28) and Jack Hargreaves (24) were all out just as they were settled with Oak’s former spinner John Keeling (6-45) enjoying his first return to his old stomping ground. Broad Oak finished considerably short though with 203ao.
Hoylandswaine Surge Five Points Clear In Shepley Rout
Hoylandswaine subdued Shepley with a crushing first innings performance as they slid menacingly into top gear.
Opener Asif Iqbal was a constant thorn to the dejected visitors as he scored a classy 136-ball 111no. Arron Lilley followed up his devastating Sykes Cup semi-final appearance with another devastating showing when he lashed 91 in just 58 balls. Faisal Irfan also weighed in with 39 as the visitors flagged wearily with Shepley’s most prudent bowler; Nasir Jamal (3-81) suffering the worst in Hoylandswaine’s 331-7 first innings total.
Shepley’s precarious batting wasn’t likely to test this mammoth offering although they raced to 55-0 inside the first ten overs thanks to openers Dan Wood (42) and Tom Barber (25).
Their brazen petulance was quickly quashed when Muhammad Azzharullah (3-47) swiftly removed both men to make the result almost a formality. Adnan Ghani (2-15) and Max Morley (2-39) later claimed braces as Shepley subsided to 143ao in the 29th over.
Moorlands Move To Second After Demolishing Parish Neighbours
Moorlands leapt into second place when they emphatically claimed the bragging rights over Mirfield Parish Cavaliers.
They romped to a routine ten-wicket success over the relegation-troubled visitors by dismissing Tim Orrell’s men for 105 with leg spinner Siraj Sajid (5-21) in the thick of the action by claiming his 36th wicket of a prolific campaign; his best return of the season.
Opener Will Smeaton (26) top scored but it was a disappointing return from the rest as Moorlands’ youngster George Crowther repaid his opening bowling opportunity with two wickets.
The hosts, firmly in the mix for a first ever Byrom Shield, made little fuss of the chase as they knocked off the target for the loss of no wickets. Shoukat Ali claimed a fifth half-century of the season with 68no with his opening partner James Rawlinson (28no) was happy to play a supporting role in Moorlands’ 106-0 reply.
Hussain Half Century For Delph Scuppers Slaithwaite
Mosun Hussain (above) was back to his prolific best with an impeccable half-century to give Delph vital breathing space at the bottom of the table, scuppering Slaithwaite’s safety bid.
The hosts got themselves off Delph’s hook with a sublime rearguard action as they fought from a precarious 97-7 to put up a score that was sure to challenge inconsistent Delph. Wajid Hussain’s battling 39 was a rare highlight for Slaithwaite in the early exchanges as they were kept under the influence of Delph bowlers Umer Yaqoob (4-41) and Rizwan Ali (3-49).
Sohail Butt, in at number 9, survived a hearty appeal when yet to score but took full advantage of his second life as he took the game to the visitors by flogging an audacious 82no as he and last man Nathan Cyrus (16) put on 50 runs for the final wicket. Delph’s reply to Slaithwaite’s 199ao got off to a sedentary start as Hussain (55) and Sarfraz Ahmed (17) worked their way to 63 without loss.
The introduction of Alex Walker (5-59) threw a spanner into the smooth running of Delph’s operation as they lost three quick wickets to thrust themselves back into the contest.
The capture of Hussain at 100-5 was a key moment as the hosts began to assert control and sensed vulnerability. Rizwan Ali’s calm 39 in the lower order gave Delph something substantial to bat around with Luke Hargreaves, Xander Selby and Umer Yaqoob all putting in key contributions to frustrate the hosts as they eased to victory on 203-8.
Barkisland Ride Bridge Assault To Maintain Tough Home Record
Armitage Bridge were left cursing their lack of ruthlessness after they allowed Barkisland to wriggle from their hook in a narrow encounter.
The hosts, missing the proficiency that Matt Weston offers, were in a pickle at 63-5 after visiting bowler Joshua Taylor snared the upper order. Barkisland boast a virtually spotless home record and they steadily rebuilt when Seth Oddy (23) and Jasper Male (23) colluded to reset the balance with a vital partnership of 48.
Josh Finch was given freedom to get after some fatigued bowlers to slam an unbeaten 42 as Barkisland eventually finished on 197ao. Cameron Van Rensburg (4-50) returned following a week out, to dismantle the upper order and hamper Bridge’s chase at 54-4.
Bevan Coveley (23) and the experienced Paul Hamer (26) began to redress the situation before they too fell victim. Had it not been for the efforts of Barkisland’s Adam Scott (3-44), the outcome may have been different. Despite the rearguard efforts of Andy Gledhill (22), Jack Ingham (32no) and Jamie Hopper (20) Armitage Bridge concluded their innings just nine runs short on 188-9.
Below-Par Golcar Downed By Kelly Heroics At Honley
Simon Kelly put in a vital shift with the bat once again as Honley cruised to an assertive win at home to in-form Golcar.
Jack McNamara’s side, who had risen to third in the table after an impressive run of victories, fell some way short here. Honley opener Kelly, in his 20th season at Far End Lane, showed little signs of slowing down as he registered his eighth half-century of the campaign with 78 as Golcar struggled to dislodge him.
Golcar, who themselves were missing their inspiring talisman Steve Whitwam, were kept at bay when Lewis Kenworthy enjoyed his best performance of the season.
The left-arm spinner took 5-35 in an innings that never got going for Golcar as they were disappointingly dismissed for 108ao.
Match off – Thongsbridge v Scholes
Thongsbridge’s match at home to Scholes fell victim to a bout of confirmed Covid cases resulting in a straight cancellation of the fixture and two points each.
