POINTS systems are very much to the fore at the moment. Some are suggesting the Drakes League should make a change on that front, and league match secretary Phil Senior has been keeping an eye on a slightly different one to the Bradford League’s. In this one, it’s 10 points for an outright win. The ‘winning draw’ would be worth four points but three batting points would be available at 100, 130 and 160 and three bowling points (for three, six and nine wickets). An abandoned match would be three points each plus any bonus points earned, while a tie would be two points each plus bonus points accrued. Using this system this season, Shepley would still be leading while Kirkburton and Elland would be tied. Honley would be above Golcar by three points – they are currently three behind – while Barkisland would be 10 points clear of Shelley instead of three behind. But the positions mostly would be unchanged. In case you were wondering, the average score across the Drakes League this summer is 155-7. In the Huddersfield Central League it’s 140-7.
HOYLANDSWAINE skipper John Sadler has been putting the final touches to their plans for tomorrow’s Black Sheep Yorkshire Champions Trophy final against Woodhouse Grange at Wrenthorpe (Noon). “We know they are a good unit so we will have to play well, but I think if we’d been able to win only one trophy this season, the Black Sheep would have been the one we would have gone for,” he said. “The prestige for the club and for the Drakes League would be fantastic. “I’m delighted it’s at Wrenthorpe because the wicket and the playing surface are great, along with the hospitality.” Swaine, of course, have already won the Sykes Cup and T20 Trophy.
A GREAT effort by seven players to be over 1,000 league and cup runs for the season and several more could join them today. The top men are Steve Whitwam (1219), Dan Wood (1134), Haroon Rashid (1089), Cameron Fletcher (1041), Lorenzo Ingram (1035), Kamran Saleem (1021) and Simon Kelly (Honley). Closing in are Alex Morris (980), Bilal Khiljee (970) and Joe Carter (966).
IT'S crunch time at the bottom of the Drakes Premiership. Hall Bower v Holmfirth and Barkisland v Marsden. Need I say more?
