South Yorkshire: Tasker applies brakes after the Hall cut loose

Whitley Hall stroked 337-8 against Hallam with sparkling 50s from Chris Siddall and Alex Fletcher and a powerful 79 off 65 balls from Greg Batty. Hallam, with an opening partnership of 143 between Nick Dymock (81) and Alex Hughes (53) were well on course before Jim Tasker 
(4-52) restricted them to 245-7.

Wickersley enjoyed themselves in the sun scoring 
366-9 against promoted Houghton Main, who fell for 188, but the day’s top game was between former champions Elsecar and Treeton.

Treeton’s middle order all scored 50s as they took advantage of an Elsecar attack missing Pakistan A’s Shahzad Rana, scoring 274-8. Elsecar struggled to get going against Steve Foster 
(3-44 from 15) and despite 49 from Glenn Yates, had to settle for one point at 208-6.

Two sides who have bolstered their teams over the winter both did well. Darfield scored 279-8 through Peter Hadfield’s 95 and Melbourne’s Michael Topp, who struck an unbeaten 71 off 65 balls before taking 5-45 as Coal Aston fell for 184.

Conisbrough initially struggled against Wath’s Rob Barlow (6-38) but Matthew Barnes’s unbeaten 73 took them to 158-9.

Imran Zafari, from Cutthorpe, took 5-34 and sliced through Wath for 106.

Aston Hall made 200-8 to overhaul Tickhill’s 199, Steve Reid undeservedly ending on the losing side with 5-30 from 15 overs.

It already looks like being a fascinating season ahead.