Something has to give at the top of the Drakes Huddersfield League Premiership.
And it promises to be a thrilling battle for supremacy when
Shepley host co-leaders Broak Oak at Marsh Lane.
It brings in-form Australian Daniel Anderson of Shepley into direct trans-Tasman confrontation with the Oak’s Kiwi destroyer Henry Cooper, as two of the best sides in the division go head-to-head.
The other co-leaders, Delph & Dobcross, are at home to Scholes, and will be determined to stay level with whoever wins the Marsh Lane cruncher.
Broad Oak have put together a side capable of beating anyone on their day, especially since the return of ‘prodigal son’ Charlie Roebuck.
He heads a batting line-up
featuring league all-time run-scorer Lee Baxter, the prolific Cooper, Harvey Booth, Jack
Hargreaves and Dominic Finn.
They have long-handle ability down the order, too, with Tom McCreadie, Adam France and others knowing where the
boundary is.
Shepley, too, look well
balanced, with the classy Tom Denton, Dan Wood and
Anderson a strong top order.
With skipper Danny Glover and ex-Kirkburton all-rounder Tom Burkinshaw coming in down the order behind the likes of keeper-batsmen Shahban Raheem and Oliver Davidson, they too have power in reserve.
Nasir Jamal is perhaps the most dangerous threat to the Broad Oak batting, while the Oak used a six-pronged attack against Honley last time out, with Booth, France, Roebuck, John Keeling, Daniel Taylor and Cooper all getting a go.
Delph, meanwhile, are fresh from their record-breaking 528-5 against Marsden in the All Rounder Sykes Cup as they do battle with champions Scholes.
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Arron Lilley led the way with 186, backed up by 100 from
Graeme Simpson, as Delph won by 406 runs.
Greg Buckley didn’t hang around, either, falling just 15 short of a ton, while skipper Andy Gleave bagged 60 and teenage Lancashire prospect Nathan Jones 56 not out.
Their total was a League and Cup record for 50 overs but not an all-time record in the Cup, which stands to Honley with 557 against Broad Oak in 1952 (when overs were unlimited).
Some poos Scholes fielding
contributed to a defeat by
Kirkburton, but they responded in fine style by beating Whitley Hall by seven wickets in the Heavy Woollen Cup.
Louis Brook (three for 54) and brother Josh (three for 32) were in form with the ball, while brother Tom (37 not out) and new signing from Elland, Benji Birkhead (34 not out) saw Scholes past their 169 target after Kiwi Callum Hill had hit 40.
Hoylandswaine, who travel to Skelmanthorpe, also won in the Heavy Woollen against Methley, as did Jedi Sports Championship side Moorlands, who crushed Birstall.
In the Cedar Court Conference it’s derby time, with Mirfield
Parish Cavaliers hosting Mirfield CC for the first time as Drakes League clubs.
Parish top the table while
Mirfield are second-bottom.
