Yorkshire Club Cricket: Appleby Frodingham back on top in Yorkshire South but Otley’s Alex Atkinson takes batting plaudits

While second-placed Appleby Frodingham were gaining a routine eight-wicket victory at Sheffield Collegiate, front-runners Tickhill were falling to a six-wicket defeat in a cliff-hanger at Whitley Hall.

Tickhill not surprisingly chose to bat and made 259-7, with overseas player Tian Koekemoer again shining, making 81 and adding 96 for the third wicket with opener Jim Morgan (76).

Koekemoer’s runs came off only 85 balls and included seven fours and two sixes before he eventually became one of James Brown’s (6-82) many victims.

Whitley Hall were given an excellent start in their run chase by captain James Moorhouse (124) and Matt Cartwright (56), who added 122.

Ben Tracey (35) kept up the good work and a combined 26 runs in overs 47 and 48 put the hosts within sight but they still needed a further 10 balls to get the remaining seven runs, Neil Longhurst hitting the fourth ball of the last over for two to seal victory.

Appleby Frodingham were asked to field at Sheffield Collegiate, whose innings seemed to be going nowhere special until successive stands of 42, 48 and 50 helped them to 226-9, Daniel Priestley top-scoring with 50.

Paul Hilton (3-40) was the most successful bowler for the visitors, who were seen home in style by opener Jordan Cook (104no), who shared the limelight with Jordan Neil (42) and Kieran Lindley (69no).

Cook and Neil added 69 before Cook and Lindley put on exactly 150 as Collegiate were beaten off the first ball of the 46th over.

Elsecar notched a vital victory near the bottom, winning by 32 runs at Shaw Lane.

Openers Sam Shaw (68) and Callum Higgins (31) did more than see the shine off the new ball in a partnership of 70 for the visitors, who ended on 208-5.

Barnsley were 63-5 before Ali Jahangir (26) put on 65 with Owen Smith (46) but that was their only substantial stand as they were dismissed for 176, with the outstanding Muhammed Ilyas taking 7-35.

Elsecar are now on 82 points, 10 more than Treeton and 12 more than Cawthorne, who are second from bottom.

Batley are in danger of being stranded in the Bradford Premier Division.

They were dismissed for 110 after winning the toss at New Farnley, with pace bowler Liam Guthrie (4-24) and spinner Gurman Randhawa (3-14) doing the damage.

Opener Aidan Langley (50no) and Adam Waite (45no) then put on 102 unbroken as the leaders won by nine wickets.

What is more worrying for Batley is that relegation rivals Bankfoot and Cleckheaton both triumphed.

Bankfoot were 27-3 at home to Methley, with Afghan Zia Ul Haq Parwani making a duck, but they were rescued by captain James Lee (107) and Hamzah Iqbal (79), who added 150 for the fourth wicket.

Lee hit 14 fours and a six and Iqbal eight fours and three sixes in Bankfoot’s 235, with Ben Waite, the seventh bowler used, taking 5-25.

Methley’s reply never got out of first gear and they were back in the pavilion for 105 in 22 overs, Osama Ahmad taking 6-44.

Yusaf Baber was Cleckheaton’s inspiration at Pudsey St Lawrence, taking 3-12 in 11 balls as the hosts were dismissed for 192 and then hitting 104 not out in an easy six-wicket victory.

Batley have 106 points, Cleckheaton 137, Bankfoot 138 and Hanging Heaton 147, who are now part of the demotion picture after losing to Townville.

Things very much went to form in Yorkshire Premier North as the only members of the top five who didn’t win were Woodhouse Grange, who were not in action.

Leaders Driffield Town won by 116 runs at Sessay, while second-placed York triumphed by 137 runs at bottom club Acomb.

Driffield captain Sam Drury put them in easy street with an unbeaten 105 in their 274-6, a knock which lasted 105 balls and contained 11 fours and two sixes.

There were partnerships aplenty before tea, and Sessay never threatened an upset after sandwiches, being dismissed for 158, Mayank Mishra taking 4-28.

York also had a ton-up man in Ryan McKendry, whose 117 helped to propel them to 271-7 after they won the toss.

He was at the crease for 111 deliveries and hit 12 fours and four sixes, and again he was helped by several colleagues before the hosts were dismissed for 134, opener Edward Wade (65) top-scoring as Jonathan Moxon (5-27) and Dave Brent (4-30) proved a potent combination.

Otley Cricket Club officials who have been singing the praises of their batter Alex Atkinson recently were justified when the opener hit 196 not out.

His knock included an impressive 32 fours and two sixes off 148 balls in a score of 375-5 at home to Ilkley in Airedale & Wharfedale League Division One. He added 239 for the second wicket with Josh Atkinson, who scored 123 off 100 deliveries, including 18 fours and a six.

Relegation-threatened Ilkley replied with 223, and now only 13 points separate the bottom five.

Opening pair Junaid Khan (3-31) and Muhammad Azharullah (7-45) seem set to bowl Hoylandswaine to the Huddersfield League Premiership title.

They dismissed Broad Oak for 83 after the leaders had made a mammoth 405-7, of which keeper Chris Holliday scored 130 off a mere 77 balls, including 15 fours and six sixes. He was aided by Furqan Shafiq (41), captain Arron Lilley (70 off 44 balls, including nine fours and three sixes), Max Morley (35no) and Adeel Baig, whose unbeaten 55 took just 19 deliveries including one four and eight sixes.