The recent heavy rainfall meant that the opening games of the season were largely played on damp pitches and were predominantly low-scoring in nature.
In the Premier Division, twice-champions Cleethorpes opened the defence of their title with a 33-run win over Hallam at Crimicar. Bowled out for 168 after being put in to bat, having been boosted from 111-8 by 30 off 18 balls from new signing Jack Harrison at number 10, they then bowled the hosts out for 135 in reply. Mayank Mishra, who played a huge part in Cleethorpes’ championship wins, quickly showed his worth to new club Wickersley Old Village, who were bowled out for 133 after being put in to bat by last season’s runners-up Whitley Hall at Northfield Lane, Muhammad Ashraf taking 4-27. Mishra then took 5-28 as the visitors were bowled out for 124 in reply. James Ward (69) rescued Doncaster Town from 77-5 and helped them to 206-9 after being put in by Wakefield Thornes at the Spinks Cricket Ground. The visitors slipped to 62-7 in reply, only Jawad Akhtar (48) standing firm, and Rory Daburger took 4-29 as they were all out for 144. The only team in the division to elect to bat first were Appleby Frodingham, at home to Tickhill, but they were bowled out for 140, a total that the visitors chased down with six wickets and 14 overs to spare. Kabir Kohli, a new signing from East Ardsley, took 6-21 to help Cawthorne to restrict newly-promoted Whiston Parish Church to 162-9 at Church Fields, but it was then only thanks to an unbeaten 88 from Ikramullah Naseri that the visitors got home by two wickets. The Premier Division debut of the other promoted side, Sprotbrough, was put on hold for another week when their game at Sheffield Collegiate was abandoned without a ball bowled.
In the Championship Division, the experienced Jon Trower (67) and Harry Simpson (52) helped newly-promoted Coal Aston to 227 all out after being put in to bat at Ackworth, and they looked on course for an excellent win when they had the hosts struggling at 111-7, but new overseas signing, Jerome Bossr, hit an unbeaten 123 off 91 balls to take his side to a one-wicket win in the 42nd over. The other promoted side, Upper Haugh, went one better; after Parvez Ashghar took 5-29 to help them dismiss Rockingham Colliery for 127, after asking them to bat first at Wentworth Road, Connor Sanderson (56) steered them to a two-wicket win, despite Sam Whitlam’s 5-32 in his first game for Colliery after signing from Wath. William Chapman (105 off 110 balls) and new overseas signing Ali Zaryab (81) got Barnsley Woolley Miners off to a great start in their bid for an immediate return to the Premier Division, with an opening stand of 191 after they were put in to bat by Sheffield Collegiate 2nds at Shaw Lane, and they posted an impressive 288-6. Greg Mann made an unbeaten 63 in reply, but the visitors fell well short on 179-7. The other relegated side, Shiregreen, did not fare so well against Oughtibridge War Memorial at Waterside Gardens. Despite Ahmadzai Shahidi’s 6-52, the hosts made 168 all out after electing to bat first, and then bowled Shiregreen out for 102 in reply. New skipper Callum Higgins (63) and Tanzeel Ali (71 not out) helped Elsecar to 196 all out after choosing to bat first at the Al-Murad Stadium, Joe Woodiwiss taking 5-42 for visitors Doncaster Town 2nds. Simon Widdup (56 not out) and Finley Truman (52) added 99 for Town’s fifth wicket, but they ended ten runs short on 186-6 in reply. Manavkumar Dave took 4-25 to help Tickhill 2nds bowl Aston Hall out for 102 after putting them in to bat at the Brookfield Oval. James Eaton was unbeaten on 62 when the hosts completed a ten-wicket win in the 18th over.
Division 1 newcomers Frickley Colliery gave Monk Bretton a scare at Westfield Lane. Steven Honeyman took 5-28 to bowl them out for 157 after they were put in to bat, but the visitors were 61-8 in reply, and only an unbeaten 68 from Jenson Heyes, with support from the tail, took them to a one-wicket win, Kieran McIntyre taking 4-28. Debutant Joe Stickland (70) and Will Scott (57) took relegated Treeton to 236-9 after being put in at Dark Lane by Cawthorne 2nds, for whom Buck Rees-McClure took 5-74; and they then bowled their hosts out for 102 to get their promotion bid off to the best possible start. Fellow relegated side Wath put Warmsworth in to bat at Moor Road, but Kyle Humphrys (93) and Ryan Pearson (51) took the visitors to 258-5, then Jake Marshall took 4-28 as Wath were dismissed for 125 in reply. Alex Gough took 4-59 for new side West Bretton after they put Conisbrough in to bat at Park Lane, but they could not stop their visitors from posting a healthy 258-5. Seb Carter, on debut from Morley, took 5-46 as the hosts were all out for 154 in reply. Sam Woodcock top-scored with 56 in Whitley Hall 2nds’ 259-8 at home to Wickersley Old Village 2nds, who were all out for 113 in reply. Parkhead’s divisional debut against Houghton Main was abandoned without a ball bowled.
Promoted Norton Oakes made a great start to life in Division 2, posting 194 at home to Elsecar 2nds after choosing to bat first, then Harry Brown took 6-12 when they bowled their visitors out for 56 in reply. Fellow promotees Hatfield Town lost out narrowly to Wakefield Thornes 2nds at Field Lane; Aiden Coulbeck taking 4-39 as the hosts were bowled out for 167, but Town fell just three runs short in reply, despite Alex Pepper’s 77. Thorpe Hesley & High Green, who finished just above the relegation zone last year, made a great start, beating Hallam 2nds, who missed out on promotion by just eight points, by 81 runs at Smithywood Road. Thomas Parker made 99 in the hosts’ 233 all out, and Hallam were bowled out for 152 in reply. Andrew Clayton was run out for 59 in Barnsley Woolley Miners 2nds’ 144 all out against Norton Woodseats at Matthews Lane, then Lewis Bray took 5-13 when the hosts were bowled out for 99 in reply. Stanley Stewart (60) and John O’Sullivan (52) led the way in Millhouses Works’ 260-9 against Aston Hall 2nds at Green Lane; the hosts were then bowled out for 144 in reply, skipper Mark Barnard contributing 54. Sheffield Collegiate 3rds conceded to Penistone due to ground availability issues.
Promoted Sprotbrough 2nds got their Division 3 campaign off to a fine start with a 22-run win over Higham at Melton Road. There were four wickets each for Ryan Bradshaw and Brad Gledhill when the hosts were dismissed for 163; then Matt Webb took 4-32 to help them bowl Higham out for 141 in reply. Shahzad Hussain (58) and Tom Trower (54 not out) helped another promoted side, Coal Aston 2nds, to 183-7 against Wath 2nds at Stonelow, then Shaun Trower took 4-4 when the visitors were all out for 89 in reply. Upper Haugh 2nds made it a hat-trick of wins for the promotees; they bowled a much-changed Darfield side out for 97 at School Lane, Ayden Dawson taking 4-29, then chased down their target for the loss of two wickets in the 25th over. There were four wickets for Barney Kirk when Oughtibridge War Memorial 2nds bowled Shiregreen 2nds out for 100 at Hatfield House Lane, but Akhtarzaman Khan then took 4-10 and the visitors were bowled out for 64 in reply. Frecheville Community were bowled out for 115 at Bawtry Road, then openers Harris Gulrez (52 not out) and Obaidullah Mirzai (49) set up Sheffield United’s seven-wicket win. Alan Lockwood’s 4-14 helped Rockingham Colliery 2nds to bowl Worsborough Bridge out for 87 at Hoyland Common and the hosts coasted to an eight-wicket win.
Sheffield University Staff finished third in Division 4 last season and started 2026 positively when, after being bowled out for 117 by Kexborough at Warminster Road, Aden Biddle took 6-24 to help bowl the visitors out for 85 in reply. Tony Singh took 4-13 for league newcomers Pledwick to help them bowl Sheffield Caribbean out for 65 at Newmillerdam; then, whilst they struggled in their reply, last man Zachary Hislop hit a six to give them their first YCSPL win, by one wicket. There was another one-wicket win, at the Sands, where Bradfield Village Fellowship bowled Doncaster Town 3rds out for 161, despite 72 from Alex Rudkin, with Mick Bocking taking 6-24 for the hosts. Nathan Appleyard made 60 in Bradfield’s reply, and then the lower order edged them over the line. Promoted Whiston Forge had a convincing win over relegated Treeton 2nds at Washfield Lane, Adam Purshouse (77 not out) and Dale Stanley (75) taking them to 227-4; then Josh Cooke took 6-35 as the hosts were bowled out for 140 in reply. Michael Gilmour took 4-28 to help Thorncliffe & Wentworth bowl newly-promoted Ackworth 2nds out for 141 at Lound Side, and an unbroken fifth wicket stand of 97 between Liam Page (57 not out) and Jack Pearson (51 not out) took the hosts to a six-wicket win with two balls to spare. Callum Bentley took 4-48 when Barnsley Woolley Miners 3rds bowled Stocksbridge out for 85 at Brackenmoor, but the visitors were all out for 44 in reply, with Josh Stevens taking 7-20.
Promoted Waverley made an excellent start to life in Division 5, beating last season’s fourth-placed side, Maltby Miners Welfare, at Totley. Liam Woodward took 5-16 when the hosts were bowled out for 118, but Vishnu das Devadas took 4-12 and Maltby were 44 all out in reply. The other two promoted sides, Millhouses Works 2nds and Thorpe Hesley & High Green 2nds met at Millhouses Park, and the hosts came out on top after Andy Bellfield took 4-19 to bowl the visitors out for 83 in reply to Millhouses’ 148 all out. All three sides relegated from Division 4 lost; John Beachill (72 not out) leading Penistone 2nds to 159-6 against Barnby Dun, who were all out for 52 in reply; Chris Barraclough took 7-24 to help Silkstone United bowl Wombwell Main out for 88 and United then completed a four-wicket win; Sheffield Collegiate 4ths were restricted to 121-7 by Warmworth 2nds at Common Lane, and the hosts then edged home by one wicket. Adil Sikander took 4-20 to help Hatfield Town 2nds bowl Hallam 3rds out for 114 at Carr Side Lane, and the hosts completed a two wicket win in the 25th over.
In Division 6, Fishlake’s bid for an immediate return to Division 5 got off to a good start with a convincing win over Green Moor at Pinfold Lane. Richard Copley took 5-13 when the visitors were bowled out for 56 in response to Fishlake’s 127-7. Whiston Parish Church 2nds also started their bid for immediate promotion with a win, albeit narrowly, over Sheffield Caribbean 2nds at the Common. They were bowled out for 137, but Fida Hussain then took 4-36 and Caribbean were all out for 135 in reply, despite 74 from Mobashar Raja. Muhammed Aleem Khan (113 off 97 balls) and Adeeb Khan (95) ensured that newcomers Sheffield Centralians got off to a flying start with a win over the third relegated side, Conisbrough 2nds, at Park Lane. Responding to the visitors’ 263-6, Conisbrough were all out for 182, with Toby Humphries carrying his bat for an unbeaten 75. Wadworth bowled Sheffield United 2nds out for 58, but lost five wickets in scoring the required runs. Rohan Ardley made 117 in Parkhead 2nds’ 215-7 against Whitley Hall 3rds at Green Moor, and the hosts were all out for 147 in reply, Douglas Muzawzi contributing an unbeaten 87. Scholes & Harley against Handsworth was abandoned without a ball bowled.
James Hague (71) and Joe Taylor (4-24) were the star men in Stocksbridge 2nds’ 178-run win over Wombwell Main 2nds in Division 7 North. Higham 2nds made 223-8 at home to Rockingham Colliery 3rds, for whom Reece Woodhead (107 off 110 balls) and Adam Cummins (64) put on 163 for the first wicket in their reply, but their side ended 20 runs short on 203-3. Darfield 2nds beat Houghton Main 2nds by 94 runs. Doncaster Town 4ths against Bradfield Village Fellowship 2nds and Adwick-le-Street against Mexborough Athletic were abandoned without a ball bowled.
In Division 7 South, there were wins for four of the clubs who have joined the YCSPL from the Yorkshire & Derbyshire League. Arun Urs made 71 in Sheffield Medics’ 174-7 against Norton Woodseats 2nds, who made 167-7 in reply; Sheffield Transport beat Coal Aston 3rds by 17 runs; The Chronicles England were bowled out for 133 by Sheffield Centralians 2nds, for whom Mayank Ghalot took 5-43, but his side were bowled out for 107 in reply; and Allama Iqbal were bowled out for 61 by Wickersley Old Village 3rds, but that proved enough when Wasiqullah Niazai took 6-16 and Wickerley were all out for 44 in reply. The game between Sheffield Superkings and Brookhouse was abandoned without a ball bowled.
In Division 8 North, Frickley Colliery 2nds carried on their dominant form from last season when Tom Hemingway (106) and Luke Malone (82) led them to 332-8 against Monk Bretton 2nds, and then Jack Horobin took 4-18 to help restrict Bretton to 68-7 in reply. West Bretton 2nds got their YCSPL career off to a good start with a 25-run win over Barnsley Woolley Miners 4ths at Woolley. Newly-merged club Eden Madras Parklands had a comfortable win over Hallam 4ths when Lee Chandran took 4-17 to help bowl Hallam, chasing 179-9, out for 90 in their reply.
Another side who continued where they left off last year were Waverley 2nds in Division 8 South. They made 212 all out against Handsworth 2nds and bowled them out for 90 in reply. An unbeaten 65 from opener Jamie Ingham helped Elsecar 3rds to 141-8 against Hallam 5ths, who were bowled out for 97 in reply. Sheffield Transport 2nds bowled Norton Oakes 2nds out for 98, but were made to struggle to a two-wicket win by Chris Baker (5-35). The game between De la Salle and Thorncliffe & Wentworth 2nds was abandoned without a ball bowled.
In Division 9 North, Nick Petty’s unbeaten 63 helped Dearne to 164-5 against Mexborough Athletic 2nds, and they made a good start in their bid for an immediate return to Division 8 by bowling Athletic out for 122 in reply. Greg McLeod took 4-15 for Sheffield University Staff 2nds, who bowled Kexborough 2nds out for 57 and beat them by five wickets. David Moores made 74 in Fishlake 2nds’ 208-9, and they restricted Sprotbrough 4ths to 106-9 in reply. Peter Rayan took 5-10 for Eden Madras Parklands 2nds when they bowled Silkstone United 2nds out for 30 and then beat them by seven wickets. The game between Wath 3rds and Higham 3rds was abandoned without a ball bowled.
Whiston Forge 2nds made 173-9 against De la Salle 2nds in Division 9 South, then restricted them to 126-6 in reply, opener William Baker making an unbeaten 64. New side Tickhill 3rds beat Scholes & Harley 2nds after posting 137-7 and bowling their opponents out for 125. Former Yorkshire & Derbyshire newcomers Richmond bowled Oughtibridge War Memorial 3rds out for 61, but were then bowled out for 25 in reply, Mohammed Ali returning 7.1-7-0-4. Frecheville Community 2nds against Coal Aston 4ths and Sheffield University Staff 3rds against Hallam 6ths were abandoned without a ball bowled.
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