Cricket: Scholes set their sights on Shield

Jun 18 2009 by David Lockwood, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Jez Firth (76) and Coe Byrne (67) gave Elland a great start with a century opening stand, but after they went, it was downhill all the way as Richard Haslam hit back with three for 42 and Tom Simpson and Wayne Beardsell two apiece.

At 13-3 in reply, Elland must have thought the match was in the bag, but they reckoned without Graham Holroyd (67no) and Haslam, the former first team bowler firing a match-winning 84 and putting on 145 for the fourth wicket to set up the win.

As expected, Marsden proved too strong for Conference side Kexborough, Carl Zaffino (67no) and Nicky Clee (53no) sharing a 98-run unbroken stand for the third wicket.

Both men had earlier taken three wickets each, as had Danny Clee as Kexborough were bowled out for 189.

In the final clash, Conference side Broad Oak had a good battle with struggling Premiership club Micklehurst, coming out on top by 32 runs in a high-scoring game.

Richard Metcalfe hit a top score of 68 for the Oak, while Oliver Taylor (47), Matt Devlin (35) and Charlie Leonard (34no) all lent great support in the 280-6 score.

Micklehurst made a great fist of chasing the hefty target, Danny Clayton hitting 56, while Ben Downend (38) and M Barton each scored 38 before Ben Burnett struck with three for 30 to pull the Richmond Hill side up short.

In the League programme, Barkisland’s Danny Sykes (six for 33) and Jamie Colman (50) put the skids under Premiership leaders Kirkburton, despite 64 from Mike Smith, who, during his knock, became the first Second XI player to reach 400 League runs for the season.

Other notable performances included a hat trick for Meltham second-teamer Richard Holroyd.