The second Sykes Cup semi-final between Kirkburton and Barkisland at Riley Lane on Sunday could be a nerve-jangling thriller.
There is little to separate the sides in the Drakes Premiership table and they both have multi-talented batting and bowling units.
Ron Tindall and David Haikings will umpire (1pm) and they could well have plenty of signalling to do as skippers Andy Smith (Kirkburton) and Darren Robinson bid to guide their men into the showpiece against Scholes at Elland on August 9.
Kirkburton, who entertain Honley in the top flight tomorrow, had an unusual victory over Moorlands last Saturday – defending an all-out total of 73 to record a 16-run victory – and while they were beaten by Hoylandswaine in the Heavy Woollen Cup the following day, they did pile up 307 thanks to 88 from Javaid Ahmad, 55 from experienced Iqbal Khan, 40 from Jonny Butterfield and 34 from top run-scorer Asif Hussain.
Pakistani first-class player Hussain could be a key man for the home side, having hammered the top Premiership score of the season so far with 204 not out against Shelley back in April and having tallied 692 runs in total at an average of 57.67.
But captain Smith has certainly led by example this season, hitting 649 runs himself (43.27) at the top of the order and picking up 27 wickets at 20.85, and he’s determined to steer Kirkburton to a first final in the arrowselfdrive-sponsored competition since they won it against Skelmanthorpe in 2003.
Opening partner Khan has 454 runs, while Nick Sharp and Butterfield are both capable of dictating an innings even before you get to Hussain at No5, Ahmad at No6 and capable all-rounders Craig Fletcher, Matt Crookes and Tom Burkinshaw – who was in that winning Burton side 12 years ago – further down the order.
Fletcher led the attack with five for 21 last weekend and he has 34 wickets so far, while Khan matches Smith on 27 wickets and Burkinshaw 18 – all of them benefiting from Shaun Woodhams sound work behind the sticks (28 victims).
Barkisland – Cup winners in 2008 – are fresh from an excellent win at Shelley, where 94 not out from young Luke Bridges enabled them to knock off 214 for the loss of just three wickets.
Bridges is now on 619 runs at just under 50, but Barkisland will be hoping the powerful Jamie Summerscales and Alex Kaye can provide a platform at the top of the order for Kiwi Tim Seifert, who would love to face his Northern Districts colleagues from Scholes in the final.
Like Smith for Kirkburton, all-rounders Alex Scholefield (44 wickets) and skipper Robinson have major roles to play, while the leg-spin off-spin duo of Chris Williams (33 victims) and Matt Steers (21 wickets) could hold the key.
It really is too close to call.
The second semi-final of the Fired Up Paddock Shield will also be played on Sunday at Honley, where the visitors are Scholes (1pm). The winners are bidding to join Barkisland in that final on August 16.
Meanwhile, Broad Oak have joined Shelley in the semi-finals of the allroundercricket T20 Trophy after beating Slaithwaite by nine runs.
Kiwi Henry Cooper took three for eight to restrict Slaithwaite to 92-9 in reply to 101-7, in which Dom Finn hit 26 and Daniel Rushworth 40 not out.
Barkisland play Delph tonight while Scholes host Hoylandswaine on Monday. The semi-finals are on Tuesday.
