Round-up of YCSPL games on 27/28 April

 

In the two games where conditions allowed play to take place in the Premier Division, it was the two Lincolnshire clubs who took advantage. At Town Fields, after Doncaster Town chose to field first in a 36-over game, visiting skipper Alex Grimes (42) led Appleby Frodingham to 126-6, debutant Harsha Rajapaksha claiming 4-23 for the hosts. In reply Joe Baker (4-24) reduced Town to 48-5 before Charlie Kaye (37) and Joe Gallagher put on 46 to give them hope. Kieran Watson (3-13) then mopped up the tail to give the visitors a 12-run win. At Chichester Road, Cleethorpes were also put in to bat, and Jordan Cook (59), helped by thirties from the returning Harry Warwick and skipper Ian Mansfield, led them to 178-9, Liam Wiles being the pick of the visiting attack with 4-31. In reply, only Luke Ogden (63), making his Cawthorne debut, mastered the home attack; Mayank Mishra took 4-34 and another returnee, Harry Clewett, took 3-25, and the hosts won by 37 runs. 

 

Championship Division newcomers Ackworth got their campaign off to a fine start with a comfortable home win over Wath. Put in to bat, the hosts reached 228-8, thanks to an unbeaten 57 from Ian Wood and thirties from Amitpaul Kundra and Shingi Masakadza; Shawn Hopkins, with 4-58, being the pick of the visitors’ attack. In their reply, only South African Hayden Byrne, with 58 on debut, got on top of the hosts’ attack, and another debutant, Joshua Hen-Boisen, took 4-34 as the visitors were bowled out for 154. The battle of last season’s two relegated teams, Aston Hall and Hallam, at Green Lane, turned out to be rather a one-sided affair after the visitors reached 168 all out, having being put in to bat and being 80-7. Alex Davis then led a fightback in a 79-run eighth-wicket stand with Arjith Ravi, whilst new home skipper Adam Clarke took 4-28. Jay Singh (4-32) and Joe Cooper (5-20) then shared the wickets as the hosts were bowled out for 84 in reply. In a low-scoring game at Shaw Lane, Barnsley Woolley Miners 2nds were bowled out for 89 after being put in to bat by one of the promotion favourites, Wickersley Old Village. Debutant Dylan Smythe (3-29) and seasoned campaigner Mark Cummins (4-16) did most of the damage for the visitors, who then lost five wickets for 29 before debutant Hamzah Younis (28) turned the game in their favour and they sneaked home by two wickets. Nicholas Robinson (3-27) and Boeta Beukes (4-38) did the early damage for the hosts. There was no play in the games at Houghton Main, Rockingham and Sheffield Collegiate. 

 

In Division 1, the two relegated sides, Conisbrough and Darfield, both got their bids for a quick return to the Championship off to a good start. Hamzah Ilyas (55) and Danny Latif (40) led Conisbrough to 205-7, after they had been put in to bat by Wakefield Thornes 2nds at Field Lane; Aaron Lowe then took 4-60 as the hosts were bowled out for 154 in reply. In a low-scoring game at School Lane, Jabari Mills’ 31 was crucial in helping Darfield to 115 after being asked to bat first by newly-promoted Elsecar 2nds, for whom Elliott Evans returned 5-36. Three wickets each for Alex Keaton and Liam Hague then saw the visitors dismissed for 89. Ali Asghar (59) led a fine batting effort by Upper Haugh, as they reached 231-8 after being put in at Northfield Road; Parvez Asghar then taking 4-38 as Wickersley 2nds were all out for 133. 80 from Chris Siddall at the top of the order set Whitley Hall 2nds on their way to 208 all out away to Rotherham Town, for whom Arslan Tariq took 4-37. Rehan Khan then took 5-40 as Town were dismissed for 123 in reply, despite 40 from opener Iftequar Mohammed. Zeeshan Ahmed took 6-27 as Aston Hall 2nds bowled out newly-promoted Tickhill 2nds for 120 at Alderson Drive; Ollie Wainwright’s unbeaten 52 then taking the visitors to a six-wicket win in the 29th over. The game between Warmsworth and Oughtibridge was cancelled. 

 

Promoted Wath 2nds got their Division 2 campaign off to a winning start, if only narrowly, at home to Thorpe Hesley & High Green. James Guthrig took 5-29 to help bowl the visitors out for 65 after they were put in to bat, but Wath struggled in their reply. Thomas Arnold took 4-19, and the hosts were grateful to Mark Barlow (26) and Lochlan Gannon, whose 35-run fifth-wicket stand was vital in a two-wicket win. Another promoted side, Oughtibridge War Memorial 2nds, were less fortunate at Waterside Gardens. After they put Treeton 2nds in to bat and restricted them to 141-7, Andrew Sneath top-scoring with an unbeaten 43 for the visitors, they were bowled out for 70 in reply, visiting skipper Ben Birtles taking 4-29. In the third game, at Ecclesall Road, Penistone managed 103 after being put in by Parkhead. Paul Dalton made 42 at number 9 to rescue them from 22-7 after Chris Turner had taken 5-22. Christopher Walmsley then bowled the visitors to a 24-run win with 6-13. The games at Hallam and Hatfield were both cancelled. 

 

Only two balls were bowled in Division 3, at Millhouses Park, where Higham were 1-0, after being put in to bat, when the game was abandoned. The games at Bradfield, Cawthorne, Norton Oakes and Thorncliffe were all cancelled. 

 

In Division 4, Frecheville Community made a good start in their attempt to secure an immediate return to Division 3, recording an eight-run win over Upper Haugh at Wentworth Road. Opener Adam Ramsden (34) top-scored as they reached 127-9 after being put in to bat. Todd Saxelby then took 4-26 as they bowled Upper Haugh out for 119, despite a fourth-wicket stand of 65 between opener Christopher Pearson (42) and skipper Gurvinder Singh (52). Last season’s fourth-placed club, Wombwell Main, made a disappointing start to their campaign when they lost by 49-runs at home to Rockingham Colliery 2nds. Three wickets each from Richard Wilkinson and Jonathan Scaife helped them restrict their visitors to 127 all out, but Kelham Bennett (5-11 in 12 overs) then did most of the damage as Wombwell were all out for 78. Opener Joseph Atkinson’s 55 was the backbone of Silkstone United’s 165-9 against Stocksbridge at Bracken Moor, despite Andrew Hibbert’s 5-43 for the hosts. Emilia Rossi then bowled the visitors to victory with 8-42, as Stocksbridge were all out for 82. The games at Conisbrough, Hallam and Sprotbrough were all cancelled. 

 

Promoted Sheffield University Staff made a fine start to their Division 5 campaign, beating relegated Whiston Parish Church 2nds by 66 runs at Church Fields. Waqas Tanveer hit the League’s first hundred of the season (111 not out off 88 balls with seven 4s and eight 6s) to propel the visitors to 224-7 in their 46 overs after being asked to bat first. He then followed up with 3-13 as the hosts were bowled out for 158; Dale Stanley top-scoring with 48. The games at Coal Aston, Fishlake, Maltby and Wentworth (Wickersley OV 3rds) were all cancelled. 

 

In the only game to take place in Division 6, opener Joe Horrocks’ 38 laid the foundation for Mexborough Athletic’s 142-7 in their 86-run win over Millhouses Works 2nds at the Beecroft Estates Ground. Hazrat Jabarkhail then took 4-4 in 4.2 overs as the visitors were bowled out for 56. The games at Caribbean, Higham, Penistone, Sheffield United and Thorpe Hesley were all cancelled. 

 

There was a fine start for Green Moor in Division 7 as they beat Brookhouse by 67 runs at Chapel Lane. Jack Berry starred for the hosts with 91 in their 191-3, then Harry Airstone (4-19) did the business with the ball as the visitors were all out for 124. There was no play at Adwick-le-Street, Doncaster Hill House School, Scholes, Sprotbrough and Woolley. 

 

Kexborough 2nds failed to build on their opening day win in Division 8, as they were bowled out for 59 by Elsecar 3rds at Bence Lane. Jack Pearson jnr took 4-21 for the visitors whilst only opener James Stoddart (26) reached double figures for the hosts. The visitors did not have matters all their own way in reply, subsiding to 34-5 before skipper Richard Stump (22 not out) came in to see them home by five wickets. In another low-scoring game, Wombwell Main 2nds recorded a three-wicket win over Barnby Dun 2nds at Glass Park. Chasing just 86 runs to win, the visitors were indebted to James Swallow’s 38 whilst the other batsmen struggled. Openers Adam Sattaur (41) and James Armitage (51), along with keeper Ryan Whitehouse (42), helped Rockingham Colliery 3rds to 125-1 against Monk Bretton 2nds at the Castle Ground. The hosts then pulled themselves back into the game, restricting Rockingham to 161-7 in their 40 overs, before Harrison Heyes (64) and Scott Latimer (62) led a spirited chase that resulted in a five wicket win for the home side. The games at Frecheville, Norton Woodseats and Worsbrough Bridge were all cancelled. 

 

In Division 9, all four games, at Brookhouse, Eden Grove, Wath and Whiston Forge were all cancelled. 

 

 

There was no play possible in the first round Mick Savage Trophy games, and Oughtibridge War Memorial 2nds, Penistone and Monk Bretton go through to the second round on a coin toss; similarly, Hallam 4ths progress to the second round of the Billy Oates Memorial Cup. The Division 3 game between Sheffield Collegiate 3rds and Worsbrough Bridge was also cancelled.