Cricket: Debut boy Sykes is pivotal

Jun 22 2009 by David Lockwood, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

DEBUT BOY SYKES

SCHOLES extended their lead at the top of the Drakes League Premiership as all the divisional leaders beat the squally showers to claim victories on Saturday.

The Chapelgaters were indebted to an excellent 65 from 16-year-old first team debutant Louis Sykes, putting on 123 for the fourth wicket with Ibrar Latif (50) to give Scholes a total (192-9) to bowl at against Barkisland, for whom Jitender Billa took five for 45.

Paul Winrow, who by his standards has had a pretty lean season so far, hit 80, but with limited support and another terrific spell of bowling from Andy Alsop (six for 54), the visitors were sent back for 144. Mohammed Shah Nawaz also picked up three wickets for the leaders.

Delph & Dobcross and Shepley had to settle for a 25-overs-a-side thrash after a deluge left the Huddersfield Road ground under water.

Tom Denton and skipper Danny Glover both hit 40-odd as Shepley made a very handy 157-5,but it wasn’t enough to halt Delph, for whom Arron Lilley (36), Bruce Cruse (32) and Kamran Mirza (28) all chipped away to seal victory with nine balls to spare.

There was a tremendous finish at Broad Oak, where Simon Hoyle flattened Clayton West’s hopes of only their second win of the season, when he smashed the last ball of the final over high and mighty for six to win the game for the home side.

Earlier Nick Sharpe had made a very fine 69 and Jonny Butterfield 41 as Clayton topped 200 despite Ben DeAraugo’s five-wicket haul (the sixth time this season he has captured five or more) and three for young spinner Dan Taylor.

Eddie Wilson (44) and Max Freeland (48) put on 75 for the Oak’s third wicket to set up victory, but it was left to Dale Brooke (14no) and Hoyle (17no) to get them to the winning line, putting on 37 before Hoyle became the toast of the team.

Elland enjoyed an eight-wicket stroll at Meltham, where James Thornton produced the day’s best bowling return with six for 34 to dismiss the home side for 146, Zubair Raje making 58 of those.

Ryan Robinson (43) and Greg Buckley (62no) led the victory dash in just over 20 overs.

Qaiser Rashid made a quick return to Micklehurst for HIS new club Skelmanthorpe, and to make a point top-scored with 52 as the visitors totalled 163-4 in another restricted-overs match. Andrew Gleave replied with 51, but none of the Micklehurst batsmen could handle James Crossland who bagged six for 53 in a 40-run win.

Honley piled up the runs against Golcar, after Matthew Wood went early doors for a duck. Simon Kelly crashed 82, with terrific back-up from Danny Howard (52) and Martin Green (40) as the Holme Valley men plundered 254-6.

Steve Whitwam made a half-century and Ben Robshaw 41, but after slumping to 96-6 they were never really in the mix, Ibrar Ali the pick of Honley’s bowlers with four for 66, Ritchie Howarth suffering a pulled Achilles with his first delivery.

Slaithwaite gained revenge on Holmfirth after losing there the previous week, Marcus Hainsworth making 44, and Wajid Hussain 37, before a mini-collapse HAD them struggling at 97-5.

Skipper Martin Welsh (38no) however, found great support from one of the club’s most promising juniors, Freddie Garside (36no), as together they put on 65 for the ninth wicket.

Ibrar Younis then quickly dIspatched Phil Birkhead and Carl Fletcher and with Ronan Bruce having Adrian Gawthorpe caught by his skipper, the visitors were looking down the barrel at 12-3.

And they never recovered despite a battling 34 from their captain Gary Jakeman.

Durham county player Phil Mustard turned up and cracked 76 for Lepton Highlanders as they toppled Kexborough to keep up pace with Cedar Court leaders Hoylandswaine.

Mustard’s knock, along with 46 from Mumtaz Ali led Lepton to 243-8 before Dale Winterbottom claimed five for 36 and Ali four for 50 to dismiss the Barnsley side for 147.

Dave Swan cracked nine fours in 51 for Almondbury who proved too strong for Rastrick, Wasim Khaliq then taking six for 42 for the Fernsiders, while Thongsbridge’s Ben Raven-Hill’s unbeaten 98 (the best of the day) was too good for Lascelles Hall, for whom Ranga Godage took five wickets and made a half-century.

Kirkburton stayed on top of the Frank Platt section with a two-wicket win over Paddock, Barry Singleton (32no) and Oliver Davidson (22no) just seeing them home after a six-wicket haul from Andrew Smith had pegged Paddock to 172 all out.

In the big game at Hoylandswaine, Clark Pickles (80) and John Ashton (59no) earned the home side a six-wicket win over Shelley, for whom Chris Schofield had made 95 not out.