Yorkshire Cricket: Woodlands edge another tight contest against Townville

Townville were beaten by Woodlands on the last ball when they met in the league on the first day of the campaign, and in the return fixture at Poplar Avenue the Castleford-based side lost with two balls to spare.

Jonny Booth (56), Harry Warwick (81) and Tom Brook (48) helped Townville to 223-9 off the 45 overs they were allowed, with Booth and Warwick adding 137 for the second wicket.

Muhammad Bilal took 4-50 for the visitors, who were set a Duckworth Lewis Stern target of 213 from 38 overs.

Sam Frankland (43) and Tim Jackson (41) put on 80 for openers, and the guiding hand of captain Brad Schmulian (53no) saw Woodlands home by five wickets, with key smaller contributions coming from Liam Collins (30) and Elliot Richardson (25no). Townville, who have now lost four on the bounce, missed the injured Conor Harvey, with James Glynn (0-33 off 16 balls) coming in for some heavy punishment.

However, second-placed Woodlands trail New Farnley (220 points) by 27 points.

The latter were indebted to Mark Lawson (6-32) as they defeated his former club Hanging Heaton, who conceded 23 in wides, by eight wickets.

Ossett, third on 178 points, again had Nick Connolly to thank in their 125-run win over Batley.

The opener hit his fifth century of the season, batting through their innings of 284-6 for 120 not out, Batley then being dismissed for 140. Batley are bottom again after wins for Cleckheaton and Bankfoot, with Toby Booth (69) and overseas Yousaf Baber (53no) putting on 119 for Cleck in defeating Methley.

Bankfoot made 328-5 at Farsley, which was chiefly down to Zia Ul Haq Parwani (77), Majid Khan (74), captain James Lee (55) and Osama Ahmad, who smashed 43 from 15 balls before taking 7-53. In Yorkshire Premier League North, Sessay became the latest side to lower York’s colours.

Opener Mark Wilkie (106) and captain Mark Jackson (103) were the Sessay heroes, adding 211 for the second wicket in their 268-7, with Wilkie hitting 14 fours, and Jackson 13 fours and two sixes.

Charlie Elliot (3-54) and Dave Brent (3-46) escaped much of the carnage before York just fell short in their response of 260-9.

With leaders Driffield Town having a free week, Sheriff Hutton Bridge closed to within four points of York, who have also played 10 matches.

Home captain Adam Fisher made a rapid 130, which contained 16 fours and two sixes, in Bridge’s 290-9, putting on 124 for the fifth wicket with Ashley Watson (67). Bottom-of-the-table Acomb only made 135 in reply.

David Wainwright was another captain in the runs, making 80 as Castleford beat Beverley Town by 30 runs, adding 95 for the fifth wicket with Liam Hyde (45), while Arjun Ramkumar’s 95 spurred Harrogate to a 55-run win over Clifton Alliance.

In the Yorkshire Southern Premier League, the key match was between leaders Appleby Frodingham and third-placed Wakefield Thornes at Brumby Hall, and it didn’t disappoint.

The Lincolnshire side chose to bat and made 234-7, which was largely down to Kieran Lindley, whose 101 came off only 112 balls and included eight fours and four sixes, and Jordan Cook (72). Thornes only had one dominant knock, that of captain and opener James Wolfenden, who made 85.

The next best was Mahboob with 47 as the visitors totalled 218. A margin of 16 runs also separated Barnsley from Sheffield Collegiate, with Barnsley opener Jake Weatherald playing the key role with 67, while Michael Jepps’ 84 was in vain for Cawthorne, who lost at Elsecar. Tian Koekemoer’s 60 not out gave Tickhill the edge in a five-wicket victory over Cleethorpes, while Treeton won a high-scoring clash by two wickets against Whiston.

Whitley Hall and Doncaster Town were unlucky to catch a heavy downpour, which ended their match with the former on 126-8 in the 39th over.

Armitage Bridge and Delph & Dobcross, the bottom two in the Huddersfield League Readers Premiership, beat the sides immediately above them in Skelmanthorpe and Moorlands.

Jaycob Curtling (46 and 3-44) was at the heart of Bridge’s 33-run win over Skelmanthorpe.

In the Airedale & Wharfedale League, Ilkley lifted themselves off the bottom of Division One with a 130-run win over New Rover, who are the new basement boys. Openers Josh Atkinson (81) and keeper George Huntley (80) put on 159 for leaders Otley as Bilton were beaten by 193 runs, while just about all of the batters for second-placed Rawdon got a start in the defeat of Collingham.