Underdogs East Bierley claim another shock cup success

East Bierley have claimed another top-flight scalp in a knockout competition.
Fine haul: 
Jonathan Rudge of Carlton who took six wickets, including the first four batters, as Carlton beat league league leaders Ossett. Picture: Steve RidingFine haul: 
Jonathan Rudge of Carlton who took six wickets, including the first four batters, as Carlton beat league league leaders Ossett. Picture: Steve Riding
Fine haul: Jonathan Rudge of Carlton who took six wickets, including the first four batters, as Carlton beat league league leaders Ossett. Picture: Steve Riding

Having already beaten Wakefield Thornes in a thriller on the way to the quarter-finals of the Heavy Woollen Cup, the Bradford League Championship club beat Bradford & Bingley at Wagon Lane to go into the semi-finals of the Priestley Cup. After winning the toss and opting to bat, stand-in skipper Matthew West scored 90 and Dan Cross 92 as East Bierley racked up 311-7.

The pair added 188 for the second wicket after the early loss of Sam Gatenby, bowled for a duck by Jack Hartley off a faint inside edge.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

West scored his runs off just 81 balls, despite slowing down, and hit eight fours and three sixes, while Cross was in for 107 balls and hit 13 fours and a six.

Decent contribution:
Dominic Cowley  of North Leeds who scored 43 in the win over Bilton in the Aire Wharfe League Division 1. Picture: Steve RidingDecent contribution:
Dominic Cowley  of North Leeds who scored 43 in the win over Bilton in the Aire Wharfe League Division 1. Picture: Steve Riding
Decent contribution: Dominic Cowley of North Leeds who scored 43 in the win over Bilton in the Aire Wharfe League Division 1. Picture: Steve Riding

But the dismissal of West and Ben Walter (20) to run outs stopped Bierley from thinking about reaching 400 as no-one in the Bingley attack escaped punishment.

Bingley were up with the run rate early doors, despite losing three wickets, but when the key sixth-wicket partnership of Matthew Duce (43) and Yassir Abbas (67) was broken, the end was nigh and the home side were dismissed for 194, although Abbas put on 33 for the ninth wicket with teenager Lewis Brown (11).

Bierley will now be at Townville in the semi-finals, while New Farnley will be at home to the winners of next Sunday’s delayed quarter-final between Pudsey St Lawrence and Birstall.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Both semi-finals of the Heavy Woollen Cup - Hoylandswaine v Woodlands and New Farnley v Farsley - were postponed until Sunday, August 1 due to Covid 19.

Airedale and Wharfedale League Division One leaders Saltaire are out of the Waddilove Cup at the semi-final stage, beaten by Rawdon by five wickets.

Saltaire made 227, with Jibrael Malik (28) putting on 67 for the fourth wicket with Bilal Hamid (50), but Richard Porter’s 69 not out in just 45 balls saw Rawdon to a comfortable five-wicket win.

Upstarts Skelmanthorpe’s run in the Huddersfield League’s Sykes Cup is also over after they lost by 105 runs at Moorlands.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The home side made 288-5, boosted by Siraj Sajjid (92), James Rawlinson (66) and Eddie Walmsley (47) before Championship side Skelmanthorpe, winners over top-flight Thongsbrdge and Broad Oak, could not make it three Premiership scalps as they were dismissed for 183, with Eddie Walmsley taking 4-28.