By Jamie Harrison
Kian Schwartz’s 84 helped Skelmanthorpe stun champions Moorlands on a day of unpredictable results in the Huddersfield Cricket League Premiership.
Newly-promoted Golcar had veteran spinner Steve Whitwam to thank for a dramatic turnaround against Barkisland while Scholes spinner Yaasir Imtiaz ripped through the Almondbury Wesleyan middle order with 6-24.
Elsewhere, Kirkburton fell short of Broad Oak’s modest total while Hoylandswaine and Honley’s match was abandoned due to a damaged pitch.
Skelmanthorpe v Moorlands
In a surprising twist at Lidgett Lane, Skelmanthorpe stunned reigning champions Moorlands. Despite missing some key players, Skelmanthorpe produced a dominant performance with both bat and ball to unsettle the visitors.
Their bowling attack, spearheaded by Prayesh Kumar Singh (3-23) and Faisal Usman (3-26), restricted Moorlands to a lightweight 117 all out.
Opener Marcus Walmsley top-scored with 32 for the away side before Kian Schwartz then took centre stage with a brilliant 84-run knock off just 68 balls, propelling Skelmanthorpe to a comfortable 7-wicket victory with 22 overs to spare.
Delph & Dobcross v Shepley
A tense and tightly contested match at Huddersfield Road saw Delph & Dobcross edge out Shepley in a compelling encounter.
Delph recovered from a precarious position at 126-8 thanks to a defiant 52-run knock from former Shepley player Arman Hussain.
Spinner Musa Ahmed caused havoc in the middle order, picking up 5-60 to restrict Delph to 178 all out.
Shepley’s chase was spearheaded by overseas player Sahaj Chama’s anchoring 56 and a belligerent 50 from Wayne Hughes.
However, it was captain Nathan Jones who swung the match decisively in Delph’s favour by coming on to remove Chama during a stunning 4-6 bowling spell.
The change of momentum pulled up Shepley who ultimately finished 151 all out, securing a narrow 27-run victory for Delph.
Golcar v Barkisland
A dramatic collapse by Barkisland handed Golcar a thrilling victory from the cusp of defeat. Chasing a target of 179-9 set by Golcar, with Jacob Mulhall’s crucial 43 being the top contribution, Barkisland looked well on their way at 140-5.
Nico Georgiou Nicola’s dedicated 61 seemed to have set them up for a comfortable win. However, a devastating spell of spin bowling from veteran Steve Whitwam completely turned the tide.
Whitwam ripped through the Barkisland batting order, finishing with figures of 5-55 and was supported by Jack McNamara’s 3-22. Barkisland capitulated for 159 runs, handing Golcar a thrilling 20-run victory.
Almondbury Wesleyan v Scholes
Almondbury Wesleyan were comprehensively outplayed by a powerful Scholes at Kaye Lane. Despite a promising start with their bowlers, Mohammad Nabeel (4-31) and overseas star Pragam Sharma (4-26) dismantled Scholes for just 155 runs.
However, Wesleyans’ own batting frailties were ruthlessly exposed by spin in the reply. They collapsed from a relatively comfortable 68-3 to a meagre 74 all out, with Yaasir Imtiaz ripping through the middle order with a devastating 6-24 spell as Scholes secured an emphatic 81-run victory.
Broad Oak v Kirkburton
A low-scoring encounter unfolded at Broad Oak as bowlers dominated play. Jack Byrne’s impressive 6-33 performance set up what appeared to be a routine win for Kirkburton after dismissing Broad Oak for just 128 runs.
Vinura Dulsara top-scored for the hosts with a battling 30. However, Kirkburton were unable to capitalise as they suffered a startling collapse to 75 all out.
Adam France and Rustin Langford shared six wickets between them, while Liam Moran and Dulsara picked up two wickets apiece to seal a convincing 53-run win for Oak, their first of the season.
