Wrenthorpe stun champions Woodlands and move out of drop zone

WET weather can cause slips of more than one kind.

Take the Bradford Premier League for example, where title-chasing duo Woodlands and Townville both lost rain-affected contests, while leaders New Farnley’s match at Pudsey St Lawrence was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

New Farnley still top the table, on 256 points, having played 18 matches, just five points ahead of Townville, who have played a game less, while Woodlands are 12 points off New Farnley with two games in hand on them.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The pendulum now seems to have swung towards defending champions Woodlands, despite them losing at relegation-threatened Wrenthorpe, who looked to be in freefall.

Century salute: North Leeds' 
Amir Farooq celebrates his century at  Horsforth in Division One of the Aire Wharfe League. He scored 106 off 71 balls including eight fours and seven sixes. Picture: Steve RidingCentury salute: North Leeds' 
Amir Farooq celebrates his century at  Horsforth in Division One of the Aire Wharfe League. He scored 106 off 71 balls including eight fours and seven sixes. Picture: Steve Riding
Century salute: North Leeds' Amir Farooq celebrates his century at Horsforth in Division One of the Aire Wharfe League. He scored 106 off 71 balls including eight fours and seven sixes. Picture: Steve Riding

Woodlands made 230-1, declaring three overs early after 44 had been bowled, with Sam Frankland unbeaten on 119 and overseas player Brad Schmulian 56 not out after Tim Jackson (44) had added 110 with Frankland.

There did not seem to be any particular alarm at giving overs away as Wrenthorpe had lost their previous eight matches, scoring just 134, 122, 117, 82 and 67 in their last five.

Further rain reduced Wrenthorpe’s target to 219 from 40 overs, but they were 49-4 before everything changed in a stand of 154 for the fifth wicket between Khalil Khan (80) and Mohammad Suleman (92).

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Khan’s innings came off 76 balls and contained six fours and three sixes, while Suleman pressed the accelerator in his knock of 68 balls, including five fours and eight sixes.

Wrenthorpe were favourites and they managed to survive the loss of three quick wickets, including both Khan and Suleman to reverse sweeps off Chris Brice (4-71), who opened the bowling, and still won by three wickets with nine balls left.

Wrenthorpe are now out of the relegation berths on 133 points, but have played 18 matches, as have Batley (130), while Morley are bottom on 120 points with a game in hand on both.

Methley, who only had 45 overs to play with, made 202-9 at home to Townville after being put in, with contributions from Jordan Laban (43), Jason Marshall (41) and captain Tom Chippendale (42) as Conor Harvey took 4-74 and Jack Hughes 4-40.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Rain reduced Townville’s target to 179 from 34 overs but they fell short of victory by eight runs with seven wickets down, Hughes (40 not out from 47 balls) giving the innings a boost after Harry Warwick’s 59 from 85 deliveries, with veteran Mushtaq Ahmed taking 4-67.

Morley, who had an opening stand of 80 between Jack Rowett (33) and James McNichol (54), made 101-8 in their 29 overs as Batley were again inspired by Pakistani Test cricketer Zafar Ghofar (6-33).

Abdul Wahid (47no) batted throughout Batley’s innings but did not receive enough help and they ended on 99-6.

The shocks were not confined to the Bradford League as the top two in Yorkshire Southern Premier League crashed.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Leaders Appleby Frodingham went down to a Harpreet Singh Bhatia-inspired Barnsley.

He scored 64 of their 199, with captain Beck Frostick proving a valuable ally with 56 as they added 66 for the sixth wicket.

The Lincolnshire side’s victory target was reduced to 189 from 42 overs but Jay Smith’s 5-46 undid them, allied to Bhatia’s 3-41 as they could not capitalise on a partnership of 96 between Kieran Lindley (69) and Matt Morland (34).

Treeton could not take advantage, however, as lowly Cawthorne enjoyed a run chase for a change.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The hosts made 157, but Liam Wiles followed up his 5-30 by scoring 56 as Cawthorne won by five wickets in the 43rd over after an opening stand of 90 with Michael Jepps (37).

For the fourth time in six weeks, second-placed Yorkshire Academy had a match called off due to Covid 19, but all-rounder Chesney Hughes ensured that there was no faltering by leaders Castleford, back after a two-week lay-off.

He took 5-29 and scored 46 as Sheriff Hutton Bridge were beaten by four wickets.

Dunnington, for whom Luke Kilby (3-34 and 55) and George Drury (3-21 and 54no) were heroic, beat Acomb by two wickets with three balls to spare, recovering from 16-4, while Henry Thompson (83) was in the runs again for Harrogate, who defeated Stamford Bridge by five wickets with two balls left.

Craig Nicoll (60) helped Clifton Alliance, who were 21-4 and 77-6, win by two runs against Woodhouse Grange.

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.