HAVING been promoted as Championship champions last season, Honley have now struck out at the summit of Drakes Premiership Two.
A nine-wicket win over Broad Oak was backed up by a six-wicket victory over Golcar to put them a point clear of last year’s Drakes League Two champions Kirkburton.
Edward Kaye rattled through Broad Oak, taking six for 27 as the visitors were bowled out for 78, before Tom Willitts made an unbeaten 43 in the winning reply.
And the same two players also featured in the Bank Holiday win over Golcar, Willitts taking three for 45 and Kaye three for 39 before Chris Woodhead cracked 77 and Simon England 32 as Honley overhauled the home side’s 183 with four down.
Shepley have had a rough time of late, but they bounced back with a big double, Adam Carter firing an unbeaten 100, Oliver Cox 50 and Steve Sullivan 36no as they totalled 214-3 against Meltham, who in reply were dismissed for 154, Carter also taking four for 17 and Steve Glover three for 30.
In the Monday programme, Sam Haigh was the batsman in form as he hammered an unbeaten 96 in a big century stand with Sullivan, who also finished unbeaten on 69 as Shepley passed Marsden’s 215-9 tally, again for the loss of just three wickets.
Delph & Dobcross and Lascelles Hall produced the first tie of the season, both teams making 210, with Steve Ball (77), Adnan Ghaus (38) and Paul Jewitt jnr (34) getting the bulk of Delph’s total, while Corey Bullock (64), George Sommerville (54) and Anthony Westerby (33) scoring well for the Hall.
After finishing as champions of the Conference in their first season last year, Cawthorne are already pulling away from the chasing pack after being promoted to the Championship, and over the weekend enjoyed an Earnshaw Cup win over Paddock, followed by a three-wicket win over Thongsbridge in the League programme.
SATURDAY
PREMIERSHIP TWO
Armitage Bridge 159 (S Harrison 48, J Speight 32, P Harrison 32; A Blakey 4-55, C Walker 4-24) Elland 160-4 (A Blakey 79no, M Ahmed 37).
Honley 82-1 (T Willitts 43no) Broad Oak 78 (E Kaye 6-27).
Kirkburton 152-5 (N Wilson 75no, M Smith 25; S Hall 3-44) Marsden 151 (G Ackroyd 52, M Clee 29; A Smith 3-37, M Crookes 3-27).
Shepley 214-3 (A Carter 100no, O Cox 51, S Sullivan 36no) Meltham 154 (B Shaw 38, S Holmes 27, W Parker 30; A Carter 4-17, S Glover 3-30).
Skelmanthorpe 167 (S Alderson 66, M Rammell 40; J Lockwood 3-32, J Bird 4-32) Hoylandswaine 204 (M Hinchliffe 48, L Potter 50, J Holmes 45; D Storey 3-48).
Slaithwaite 159 (H Jones 38, H Bryson 39; J Lockwood 3-42, S Gill 3-46) Golcar 101-2 (U Alid 36no, A Iqbal 30no) RSP.
EARNSHAW CUP
Almondbury 220 (C Harris 41, C Madden 79, M Nawaz 39no; J Rayner 4-36) Cumberworth 235-7 (D Morgan 43, C Wilks 78, S Dodson 39no).
Hall Bower 212-9 (R Evans 44, R Bottomley 57, T Cliffe 34, J Seddon 29; O Moorhouse 5-29) Lascelles Hall 216-7 (R Hall 90no).
Holmfirth 261-6 (M Bocarro 42, G Myers 58, R Thornton 59, C Allen 32no) Rastrick 141 (C Allen 4-19, L Watmough 4-27).
Lepton Highlanders 78-4 (M Shafiq 3-9) Kirkheaton 77 (M Asaf 35; Y Azam 3-18).
Paddock 233-9 (Sajid 81, S Ramzan 45, P Metcalfe 31; A Kaye 4-35) Cawthorne 246-8 (J Morgan 52, R Bagshaw 36, M Sykes 33, C Hallas 25, W Mott 46no; P Metcalfe 4-64).
MONDAY
PREMIERSHIP TWO
Broad Oak 133-3 (G.Brooke 53no, O Hussain 34 no) Meltham 132 (C Field 47; N Howard 3-21).
Elland 213-5 (N Rahman 94, A Blakey 28, I Hall 67no; W Beardsell 4-41) Slaithwaite 112 (J Keeling 31; N.Rahman 3-23).
Golcar 183 (J Lockwood 32, A Iqbal 29, G Crowther 44; T Willitts 3-45, E.Kaye 3-39) Honley 186-4 (S England 32, C Woodhead 77).
Hoylandswaine 111 (J Holmes 37; A Smith 5-57, R Kettlewell 3-28) Kirkburton 131 (G Smith 38, B Jebson 25; M Hinchliffe 3-32, J Holmes 4-39).
Marsden 215-9 (R Clarke 34, A Moorhouse 58; S Greaves 3-42) Shepley 216-3 (S Haigh 96no, S Sullivan 69no).
Scholes 204-8 (J Brook 79, I Bray 30; S Atkinson 4-41, T Healey 3-54) Armitage Bridge 203-9 (P Harrison 45, S Atkinson 59, M Hallas 26no; L Fletcher 3-53, M Khan 3-40).
CHAMPIONSHIP TWO
Delph & Dobcross 210-6 (S Ball 77, A Ghaus 38, P Jewitt 34; D.Keen 3-38) Lascelles Hall 210-7 (C Bullock 64, G Somerville 54, A Westerby 33; A Lees 5-43).
Thongsbridge 118 (A James 42, R Berry 28no; R Bagshaw 5-32) Cawthorne 119-7 (W Mott 36no).
CONFERENCE TWO
Cumberworth United 170-6 (R Bartram 94; D Russell 3-42, I Ulhaq 3-20) Almondbury 166. (J Buckley 50, M Sarfraz 25, R Anthony 36; R Smith 4-32).
Linthwaite 134-4 (G Dyson 71no) Rastrick 133 (N Stead 29, N Marsden 25, A Pearson 30no; L Renwick 4-29, D Barker 3-37).
Paddock 111-9 (K Tinsley 32; R Murfin 6-44) Shelley 109 (D Lockwood 37; S Sajid 5-28).
