Round-up of games played on 25 & 26 August

 

The Billy Oates Memorial Cup final, between Thorpe Hesley & High Green 2nds and Upper Haugh 3rds, was held at Mexborough Athletic CC on Sunday. Upper Haugh got off to a fine start through Shaun Christinacce (64) and Yousuf Ghani (34), who put on 62 for their first wicket after they were put in to bat. After that, Rob Horner (4-19) and Dom Proctor (3-18) turned the screw and they were restricted to 137-7 in their 40 overs. In reply, opener Iain MacDonald led the way with 33 and Jon Ashton made 34 to help Thorpe Hesley to a three-wicket win with six overs to spare, despite the efforts of Callum Plummer (3-31). 

 

Thorpe Hesley skipper Tom Arnold received the Billy Oates Memorial Cup in front of several members of the late Billy Oates’ family, as well as a large gathering who braved a rather chilly afternoon in South Yorkshire. Shaun Christinacce was named player-of-the-match for his 64 and a brilliant catch (and celebration) in the second innings. Our congratulations go to Thorpe Hesley & High Green on winning the trophy, and to all the players for putting on a fine game played in good spirit. 

 

Our thanks go to Michael Cashmore and all at Mexborough Athletic CC, who did such a great job in hosting the day; the match officials, umpires Graham Hudson and Roy Gamble, scorers Isaac Hawke and Ian Handley, and match manager Linzey Scothern, who ensured, as ever, that everything ran like clockwork on the day. 

 

The first ever representative game for the South Yorkshire Women’s & Girls’ League was played at Treeton CC, where a strong West Yorkshire side came out on top by 86 runs on the day. In front of a good and enthusiastic crowd, our team were not disgraced against much more experienced opposition, and it is hoped that this will become an annual event. 

 

Our congratulations too go to Ackworth CC, who beat Lostock CC and Morpeth CC in the North Region finals at Elsecar CC, to reach the National final of the Vitality club T20 Plate competition. 

 

Our commiserations go to Doncaster Town CC, who lost to Northern in the North Regional final of the Vitality club T20 Blast by one wicket off the penultimate ball. Doncaster had beaten Townville CC of the Bradford League in their semi-final. 

 

 

Jack Timby (45) and Shaaiq Choudhry (57) got Sheffield Collegiate off to a good start against Wakefield Thornes at Field Lane in the Premier Division. Freddie Egleston (5-42) and Junaid Yousaf (3-28) then bowled Thornes back into the game, and the visitors were all out for 204. When Thornes replied, Henry Eldred took 3-18 and only Joe Billings (38) offered sustained resistance as they were bowled out for 167. 

 

In Division 8, Hallam 3rds moved into place after beating Barnby Dun 2nds by 60 runs at Glass Park. Jas Singh (53) and William Laycock (105) put on 147 for the first wicket and keeper Alfred Sheridan contributed an unbeaten 38 as Hallam posted 220-4. In reply, opener Zully Shah made 43, but his team were restricted to 160-8. 

 

Daniel Morton made 95 and Ithshaam Akram 51 for Eden Grove Parklands 2nds in their 208-8 against Whiston Forge 2nds in Division 9. Ithshaam then took 3-29 and Jamie Bunn 3-27 as Forge were bowled out for 142 in reply, opener Sam Cooper making 47. 

 

 

Jordan Cook (6-68) took five early wickets for Premier Division leaders Cleethorpes to reduce Whitley Hall to 5-53, before Neil Longhurst made a determined 83 to take the hosts to 172 all out. Tom Keast dominated the visitors’ reply with an unbeaten 78 and Cook contributed 35 out of a third-wicket stand of 62 as Cleethorpes strengthened their position at the top with a five-wicket win with 11 overs to spare. Bottom side Elsecar completed an excellent weekend by beating second-placed Tickhill at Alderson Drive. Opener Ross Diver (57) and keeper Jordan Lowe (31) together made over half of the hosts’ 150 all out, whilst Bilal Anjam (4-44) and Arsalan Mir (3-47) were the pick of the visitors’ attack. Elsecar were 20-3 in reply, but skipper Anjam (64*) led his side to a five-wicket win, adding 59 in an unbroken sixth-wicket stand with keeper Callum Higgins (31*). The ‘must-win’ game between two of the teams fighting to avoid finishing in the second promotion place, Barnsley Woolley Miners and Treeton, had to be switched from Shaw Lane to Washfield Lane due to the trespassers on the Barnsley ground. Sheryaar Ali (54), supported by thirties from Boeta Beukes, Stevie Walters and skipper Liam Johnson, ensured that Barnsley reached a very respectable 235-7, whilst Ben Birtles took 4-54. In reply, three early wickets from Adam Copley (5-30) had Treeton in trouble at 34-4, and although there were thirties from Zak Jahangir and Chris Cobb, both fell to Johnson (4-39) and Barnsley recorded an invaluable 104-run win to stretch the gap between the two to 27 points. Former Barnsley favourite Harpreet Singh showed his best form for Doncaster Town with 163 off 127 balls (16 fours and nine sixes) against Cawthorne at Dark Lane, putting on 156 for the second wicket with skipper James Dobson (89). Liam Wiles made 48 in Cawthorne’s reply, but Duncan Heath took 4-27 and with three wickets each for George Cowan and Harsha Rajapaksha the hosts were bowled out for 144. There was a tense finish at Brumby Hall, where skipper Aslam Hyat (35) and Yousuf Anwar (43) had helped Shiregreen to a first innings 178 all out after being 52-4, Jack Forrester and Kieran Watson picking up three wickets each. Appleby Frodingham were 63-6 in reply, then Matt Morland and Watson started a fightback with a seventh-wicket stand of 62 from there Watson took over completely, dominating an unbroken last-wicket stand of 39 with veteran seamer Paul Hilton, and he was unbeaten on 69 when the hosts overhauled their target with ten balls left. Earlier, Muhammed Ilyas (4-33) and Sana Ullah Khan (3-33) had put Shiregreen in control. 

 

Wickersley Old Village returned to winning ways at the top of the Championship Division by beating Sprotbrough at Melton Road. After losing two early wickets, James Butler (46) and Subhaan Hussain (53) patiently put on 79 for the visitors’ third wicket, and Hamzah Younis added a quickfire 36 to help them reach 197-9, Akhil Akhil (4-47) and Dean Williamson (3-15) were the main wicket-takers. With four wickets falling to Dylan Smythe (4-49), Sprotbrough were 37-6 in reply before Joe Toole (53) and skipper Williamson (34) put on 89 for the seventh wicket, but after Williamson was run out, Mark Cummins (4-51) took the last three wickets as the hosts were all out for 152. Hallam remained 12 points behind the leaders after Houghton Main conceded their game. Ackworth lost ground on the top two after suffering a narrow defeat away to Whiston Parish Church. The hosts were all out for 163, but in reply Ackworth were bowled out two runs short of their target. Opener Tanvir Singh top-scored with 54 in Aston Hall’s 187-8 away to Sheffield Collegiate 2nds, George Bartlett taking 4-21 for the hosts. In reply, Benjamin Carrigan made 39, but all five of the visitors’ bowlers took wickets, Nazakat Khan leading the way with 3-21, and Collegiate were all out for 108. Lasith Lakshan (64) and Jory Bannister (79) were amongst the runs in Rockingham Colliery’s 257-7 against Doncaster Town 3rds at the Eco Power Oval, Tiger Payne taking three wickets for the hosts. There were thirties in Town’s reply from Jack Woodiwiss and Jonathan Redfern, but with Lakshan taking 5-33, they were restricted to 170-7, and Rockingham moved above them to eighth place. Wath put more daylight between themselves and Barnsley Woolley Miners 2nds in the second relegation spot with a convincing win over the Shaw Lane side at Moor Road. Hayden Byrne scored 97, putting on 77 for the third wicket with James Barnard (36), as Wath made 210-8, Nicholas Robinson and Callum Bailey taking three wickets each for the visitors. In reply, there were thirties for Freddie Chapman and skipper William Nicholson, but Michael Bates took 4-23 to help bowl Barnsley out for 94. 

 

In Division 1, Paddy Turner took 6-29 for second-placed Tickhill 2nds as they bowled Elsecar 2nds out for 94 at the Al-Murad Stadium, Ethan Winstanley top-scoring with an unbeaten 34. Ibrahim Safi was then unbeaten with 43 off 26 balls when Tickhill completed a nine-wicket win that condemns Elsecar to relegation. 

 

There was a surprise in Division 2 where second-placed Penistone lost at home to Oughtibridge War Memorial. Chris Matthewman (82) dominated the hosts’ 213 all out, whilst there were three wickets each for Linal Fonseka and Joel Mann. In reply, opener Joseph Boyden made 73, and with supporting thirties from Waheed Bhatti, skipper Oliver Cockbill-Black and Sher Khan, the visitors passed their target with four wickets and an over to spare. Sheffield United conceded their game against Thorpe Hesley & High Green. 

 

There was an important win in Division 3 for second-placed Millhouses Works over relegation-threatened Thorncliffe & Wentworth at Millhouses Park. The hosts reached 133, thanks to four of the top five passing 20, whilst Michael Gilmour returned a remarkable 13-6-18-8. Lee Stewart (4-43) and Kieran O’Sullivan (3-17) were then amongst the wickets after opener Connor Brunt had made 40, and Thorncliffe were all out for 90. Norton Oakes beat bottom side Barnsley Woolley Miners 3rds at Woolley after Joshua Cross (75) and Ted Hutchings (52*) helped them reach 245-6, Joshua Hartfield taking 3-33; then Cross (5-19) and Callum East (4-15) combined to bowl Barnsley out for 76 in reply. 

 

In Division 4, a fourth-wicket partnership of 99 between Richard Mathewson (56) and keeper Matthew Butler (53) helped Sheffield Collegiate 4ths to 202-9 against Conisbrough 2nds at Abbeydale, Nathan Lovell taking 3-28 for the visitors. In reply, skipper James Doran made 50 at the top of the order for Conisbrough, but Mark Longley took 4-30 and Lawrie Brennan 3-39 and they were all out for 159. 

 

Opener Craig Wilkes made an unbeaten 70 at the top of the order for Barnsley Woolley Miners 4ths against Doncaster Town 4ths at Hill House in Division 7, Steven Dixon also contributing 39 to their 156-6. The hosts were 66-4 in reply before Finley Truman (31) and Mark Dickinson (49*) led Doncaster to a five wicket win in 29 overs. Houghton Main 2nds conceded to Sprotbrough 3rds. 

 

Division 8 leaders Parkhead 2nds were beaten by Monk Bretton 2nds at Ecclesall Road in Division 8. Skipper Thomas Jackson (84) and Hasim Mahroof (43*) were chiefly responsible for the hosts’ 187-8 and Andy Taylor took 4-45 for Bretton; then Adam Newton (46) and keeper Paul Bowmer (36*) were the top-scorers as the visitors claimed a four-wicket win in the 32nd over.