Sparkling Jaffer has Skelmanthorpe on top

WHEN Wasim Jaffer joined Skelmanthorpe for the new season, hopes at Lidgett Green rose that the Indian Test batsman would help last year's runners-up to go one better this time.

The stylish batsman's response could hardly have been better with successive scores of 88, 126, 135 not out and Saturday's 115 which sparked a seven-wicket victory against Slaithwaite.

Jaffer's latest innings contained 17 fours and three sixes. Craig Glover's five wickets helped Skelmanthorpe to oust their opponents for 168, a total which never looked enough. No 3 Scott Pickering accounted for 85 of Slaithwaite's runs.

Promoted Hoylandswaine defeated Scholes, who have made a disappointing start to the defence of their title.

Chasing the Scholes total of 223-9, Hoylandswaine achieved their objective in the 44th over with just four wickets down. Iqbal Khan made an unbeaten 98 for Scholes.

Honley finished a disappointing sixth last year and despite their Sykes Cup defeat at the hands of Holmfirth they are unbeaten in the league. They won by 67 runs at Elland, former Skelmanthorpe batsman Max Joice leading the way with 88 and leg-spinner Tom Craddock taking 5-42.

Irfan Zahoor (85) and Bruce Cruse (78) saw Delph & Dobcross to a 10-wicket trouncing of visitors Barkisland despite a defiant 79 from Darren Robinson.

Matthew Wood maintained his good form for Kirkburton who defeated previously unbeaten Shepley by 62 runs. Wood included 20 fours and four sixes in his 156. Sarjinder Pal Singh hit 10 fours in an undefeated 124 for the losers.

Patrick Hartland, Marsden's Kiwi slow left-arm bowler, had a 6-43 return against Broad Oak who lost by 61 runs.

Will Hinchliffe also took six wickets for Golcar, who defeated Holmfirth by six wickets after dismissing them for 141. James Sykes hit a half-century for Golcar.

Clayton West made 393-4 to trounce Micklehurst by 200 runs in the Frank Platt Championship. Ashley Thompson, 16, made his maiden senior half-century with an undefeated 84, Stuart Rank top-scored with 98 and Chris Thomson struck 75.