Cricket: Buckley enjoys ‘home’ match-winning show

Jun 9 2009 by David Lockwood, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Buckley enjoys ‘home’ match-winning show

A SUPERBLY-timed innings from Greg Buckley set Huddersfield up for victory over the Aire & Wharfedale League in the Heron White Rose Trophy at Elland.

Playing on his home ground, Buckley scored a match-winning 89 made from just 60 deliveries, which included nine fours and four sixes to put his side in the driving seat after a couple of rain breaks had threatened to wreck Huddersfield’s chances.

Earlier, Aire/Wharfe skipper Tim Jackson won the toss and chose to bat, and as he and opener Michael Abbott put on 113 for the second wicket, it looked a good toss to win.

Arron Lilley sent down a tight 10-over spell, and although he finished wicketless his excellent stint cost just 19 runs, and he put a brake on the free-scoring visitors.

Jackson hit nine fours in his 68, while Abbott hit 13 fours, but perished two short of his ton, trapped leg before to Craig Fletcher.

Despite conceding several boundaries, Buckley’s 10 overs of leg-spin still went for only 38 and included the wicket of Guiseley opener Adam Waite, smartly stumped by Elland teammate Greg Finn.

Finn made 29 with the bat, but the Drakes Under 21 side could have been in a spot of bother at 122-6, however Buckley quickly accelerated to put Huddersfield well ahead of the required run rate (in the event of it being washed out) and with good back-up from Joe Sykes (20) and then Ben Potter (19), victory came in the 43rd over.

Huddersfield now face the Central Yorkshire League in the semis, on Sunday, July 12.

AIRE AND WHARFEDALE v HUDDERSFIELD

AIRE AND WHAFEDALE

White st Finn b Buckley17

Abbott lbw b Fletcher

98

Jackson c Smith b Rhodes

68

Bailey not out

15

Bell c Finn b Fletcher

2

Davey not out

7

10

50 oversTotal (for 5)218

Fletcher 9-1-57-2, Rhodes 10-2-42-1, Lilley 10-1-19-0, Buckley 10-1-38-1, Butterfield 6-1-33-0, Potter 5-1-23-0.

HUDDERSFIELD

Finn c Bell b Pearson29

Smith b Wilkinson

17

Butterfield c Bailey b Lawrence

17

Buckley c Jackson b Halloran

89

Lilley run out

11

Sharpe c and Pearson

11

Ahmed b Brough

0

Sykes not out

20

Potter b Lawrence

19

Fletcher not out

0

6

42.2 oversTotal (for 8)219

Halloran 10-0-56-1, Wilkinson 10-0-31-1, Lawrence 6-0-40-2, Pearson 7-1-25-2, Brough 6-0-30-1, Bell 2-0-23-0, Waite 1.2-0-13-0.