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.