Whitley live up to the billing of favourites

Houghton Main set a target of 192-8, Liaquat Ali cracking 10 boundaries in his innings of 87. South African Jaco Castle grabbed 5-53 for Hall, who raced to victory at 194-2, openers Neil Longhurst and Alex Welsh putting on 116 for the first wicket, Longhurst reaching the Baxter Field boundary 15 times before falling one run short of his century, Welsh chipping in with 46.

Wath were out of sorts when entertaining Aston Hall, who batted first and laid down a 175-7 challenge, Rob Ward making an unbeaten half-century.

Wath were never at the races, back in the pavilion for 97, Ryan Tingle snapping up 3-12, with Asadullah Butt and Uzman Azeem each taking two cheap wickets.

Coal Aston only managed a modest 125-9, opener Dave Rodgers top bat with 36, at home to Barnsley, whose wicket-takers were Andy Ivill (3-22) and junior Callum Bethel (3-31). However, that proved good enough for full points, the visitors slumping to 117 all out, only teenager Jordan Luke Bethel staying long, for 30, against a fine attacking spell from Liam Johnson (7-30).

Wickersley recovered from a shaky 26-3 start at Whiston, Matt Burton setting them on the right path with a knock of 39, followed by strong batting from Shaajhan Younis, who clobbered 13 boundaries in his 88, and Shahid Hussain (60), as they made 221-8.

Whiston almost made it, causing Wickersley some anxious moments before finishing on 214-8, Liam Heathcote slamming 77 and Jafar Nazir (69). Elsecar versus Treeton and Darfield against Hallam were off.

Conisbrough’s Gary Strephen bagged four wickets as Collegiate B fell for 134, then belted an unbeaten 78, 60 in boundaries, as the Division One hosts went on to win by eight wickets. The only century-maker was Treeton B’s Adam Hardy, with 100 in the eight-wicket win over Sheffield United in Division Two.