By Jamie Harrison, Huddersfield Cricket League

Spin specialist Dan ‘Dougy’ Taylor produced his best-ever bowling performance – 7-27 – to secure the win which took Broad Oak out of the relegation zone on a day where all bottom three sides won.

Armitage Bridge remained bottom despite turning the table on lofty Scholes and Delph got within two points of Golcar who replaced Broad Oak in the danger zone.

Top two Hoylandswaine and Honley both notched wins to continue their impressive seasons. Thongsbridge enjoyed an easy success over Almondbury Wesleyan and Kirkburton came off second best after they failed to finish off stubborn Shepley.

Broad Oak v Moorlands

Frowns were quickly turned to cheers at Broad Oak as they shrugged off a forgettable first innings to claim a stunning victory over Sykes Cup finalists Moorlands. They were dismissed for just 82 after a rampant bowling performance by James Stanfield (6-13), with wicketkeeper Matty Butters (19) making the most of a meek showing.

However they came at Moorlands strongly after the break and the visitors crumbled under pressure. The away team subsided desperately from 35-1 to 63-9 to swing the match into Oak’s favour as spinner Dan Taylor (7-27) dismantled the visitors with his best ever bowling return. The last Moorlands pair George Crowther (17) and Darrell Sykes (9no) then crept towards a win until Taylor struck a final blow with Oak skipper Dom Finn taking the winning catch to cruelly snuff out Moorlands’ recovery on 78ao.

Armitage Bridge v Scholes

Scholes surprisingly slumped to their sixth loss of the season away at bottom side Armitage Bridge whose win keeps up their slender survival hopes. Bridge closed the safety gap to nine points with a dominating display where their top five batsmen all registered solid scores.

Opener Chris Dennison made 44 with Alex Blagborough (24). Saqib Matlub (30) and skipper Jaycob Curtling (57) piled up more runs before Bevan Coveley rattled off an unbeaten 30 as the hosts set 218-6 with Yaasir Imtiaz taking 4-54 for Scholes. Bridge opening bowler Jack Hinchliffe took 3-47 to blunt Scholes’ attack and it was left to Curtling (4-26) to wrap up a valuable win as the visitors were bowled out for 146.

Golcar v Delph

Talented overseas all-rounder Nayyar Abbas drove Delph to a vital win and simultaneously hauled Golcar into the bottom three following a game of two halves at Swallow Lane. Delph’s decision to bowl first paid huge dividends as Golcar struggled to get to grips on a challenging wicket providing plenty of turn for Delph’s trio of spin bowlers.

Steve Whitwam’s vigil-like 48 off 98 balls attempted to see off the main bowling threat until he was eventually snared by Nathan Jones (2-14). Left-arm leg spinner Abbas (4-26) and Xander Selby (3-56) took care of the rest as Golcar just about got through their fifty overs to set 145ao.

However the pitch felt more placid for Delph as they repulsed Golcar’s bowlers with a calm reply of 149-3. Mosun Hussain (69) led them to a significant victory to take them six points from safety as he and his skipper, Nathan Jones (29) put on 82 for the first wicket to sap Golcar’s enthusiasm.

Kirkburton v Shepley

Shepley brothers Danny and Craig Glover had a day to remember at Kirkburton with both contributing heavily with bat and ball in Shepley’s one wicket win, snatched from the jaws of defeat. Danny (2-38) and Craig (2-28) made headway as Kirkburton were restricted to 178ao with Tom Chadwick (3-34) enjoying the best of the bowlers.

Keeper Jonny Smith (34) fared best for Kirkburton with the bat who weren’t able to get away from the visitors. However ‘Burton will feel this was one that got away as former Shepley man Tom Burkinshaw (6-38) put his team on the cusp of victory to leave Shepley floundering on 130-9. Danny Glover (33no) and Craig Glover (15no) then battened down the hatches with a stubborn rearguard action that inched them over the line.

Honley v Barkisland

Honley shrugged off a minor wobble but successfully hunted down Barkisland’s 170ao to continue their excellent campaign. Wickets were shared out amongst Honley bowlers with Jeremy Hackett’s 3-22 taking him to 48 wickets in a successful debut season since arriving from Australia.

Wicketkeeper Jasper Male top scored with 29 for the home team who will still be keeping an eye over their shoulder at the teams below following this loss. Honley’s main batting threat Simon Kelly once again proved his immense value as he stuck it out for an excellent 80no to see home victory.

The visitors were in complete control at 119-2 before Jake Finch (4-39) and Cameron Van Rensburg (3-49) struck to reduce them to 154-7. Kelly, though, saw the job through as Honley completed victory on 173-7.

Hoylandswaine v Skelmanthorpe

Leicestershire’s Arron Lilley lashed an unbeaten 71 from just 27 balls as Premiership leaders Hoylandswaine routed Skelmanthorpe at home. This was in reply to Skelmanthorpe’s modest 167ao which involved lethal bowler Muhammad Azzharullah claiming 4-42 to take his tally to 66 wickets for the season. Furqan Shafiq had carved 46 but it was Lilley’s gloss finish that polished off Skelmanthorpe with Hoylandswaine reaching 168-3 in a brisk 20 overs.

Thongsbridge v Almondbury Wesleyans

Ben Balmforth took his second ‘five-fer’ of the season as Thongsbridge put a block on Almondbury Wesleyans at Miry Lane. Home captain Alex Kemp (35) and Richard Marshall (43) had helped assemble another good total of 230-8 for the home side but Wesleyans were left wanting after last season’s best young player Balmforth (5-41) scythed through them. Overseas all-rounder Pragam Sharma also took 3-21 as the visitors were dismissed for 114.