SCHOLES and Slaithwaite will contest this season’s Paddock Shield final after both pulled off comfortable semi-final victories.

The Chapelgaters beat Kirkburton by 77 runs, with Louis Sykes top-scoring for the home side with 79, supported by Chris Lawson (37) and Jamie Clayton (28no) as they totalled 246-8, Gavin Smith the pick of Burton’s bowlers with four for 56.

Gary Eastwood responded with 65, but without his regular opening partner David Greaves, his was almost a solo effort as the visitors crashed to 86-7 before a few late blows lifted them to credibility at 169 all out Lawson and Mark Floyd each taking three wickets.

Last season’s beaten finalists Golcar entertained League-leaders Slaithwaite and came a cropper against the ‘old head’ of Chris Payne, who finished with four for 24 from his 12-over allocation, while Khurram Sajjad weighed in with three for 27 from 12 to send Golcar back for just 109, of which 29 came from No9 batter Chris Chapman.

Slaithwaite could have been in a spot of bother at 31-3, but ‘Chopper’ Holroyd held firm with an unbeaten 43, and along with Payne (senior) steered the visitor to 80-4 and a subsequent victory by four wickets.

IN the League programme, Pete Harrison cracked a ton for Armitage Bridge, but was then upstaged by young Conor Woodruff (106no) and Carl Baxter (95no) as Broad Oak rattled up 227-1 to overhaul their visitors’ tally after Simon Peacock had retired injured with just two to his name.

There was another nine-wicket romp at Emley Clarence, where visiting Barkisland raced to victory thanks to 15-year-old Bradley Birkhead who fired an unbeaten 85 supported by Tom Wood (66no) in a 147-run stand.

Kirkburton remained in touch with the League-leaders with a seven-wicket win at Elland, where Jordan Tindle hit an unbeaten 102, but equally important was the performance in the first innings by 14-year-old left-arm spinner Matthew Crookes, who claimed his first-ever senior hat trick during a four-wicket over.

Playing his first season in senior cricket, Crookes had Alex Rowles and Alistair Finn caught by Gav Smith, before bowling Courtney Richmond to complete his hat trick, and then finished off the over by grabbing a sharp catch to also dismiss Jake Muffit.

PADDOCK SHIELD

Semi-finals

Scholes 246-8 (L Sykes 79, C Lawson 37, J Clayton 28no; Gav Smith 4-56) Kirkburton 169 (G Eastwood 65; C Lawson 3-40, M Floyd 3-38).

Golcar 109 (C Chapman 29; C Payne 4-24, K Sajjad 3-27) Slaithwaite 111-6 (G Holroyd 43).

PREMIERSHIP TWO

Marsden 179 (A Moorhouse 41, C Zaffino 38, Mart Clee 25; T Lockwood 4-21) Golcar 257-9 (S Gill 48, Dan Woodhead 39, C Chapman 39, Dave Woodhead 38, G Crowther 36; J Smith 3-55).

Skelmanthorpe 155 (J Greave 40; M Floyd 4-50, C Lawson 4-45) Scholes 157-8 (C Marsh 30no, C Lawson 31; J Hinchliffe 5-57, S Jagger 3-98).

Meltham 159-4 (J Boyd 55, J M-Webster 42, D Dyson 25) Delph & Dobcross 156-9 (S Broadbent 53, S Ball 30, C Brogan 26; E Clarke 3-30).

Armitage Bridge 225-9 (P Harrison 119; D Rushworth 3-34, J Wadsworth 3-26) Broad Oak 227-1 C Woodruff 106no, C Baxter 95no).

Emley Clarence 162-9 (K Taylor 28; C Cocking 3-39) Barkisland 163-1 (B Birkhead 85no, T Wood 66no).

Elland 167 (H Palmer 76, R Blakey 40; M Crookes 4-32) Kirkburton 171-3 (J Tindle 102jnoj, G Smith 33).

Hoylandswaine 151-9 (M Hinchliffe 71, C Lee 27; T Willitts 4-60) Honley 295-6 (J Green 89, C Woodhead 82, A Cawtheray 56).

Shepley 167-9 (A Littlewood 48, R Denton 44; W Beardsell 3-39) Slaithwaite 170-6 (M Payne 52, W Beardsell 27no; S Greaves 3-38).

CHAMPIONSHIP TWO

Micklehurst 93 (M Heppenstall 4-11; C Allen 3-33) Holmfirth 97-4 (M Battye-Wood 59no).

Kirkheaton 180-7 (M Mahroof 48no, M Asim 41, A Conroy 32) Hall Bower 182-3 (M Mitchell 85, S Helliwell 39, D Moss 32no).

Thongsbridge 134 (R Marshall 42, K Malcolm 25; D Taylor 6-65, D Keen 4-34) Lascelles Hall 165 (T Booth 45, G Sommerville 38; R Kirk 3-18, K Malcolm 3-33).

CONFERENCE TWO

Shelley 103-7 (S Alderson 34, A Kilner 28no; D Mellor 4-33) Paddock 102 (S Nawaz 25; S Alderson 3-3).

Lepton Highlanders 159 (J Dunstan 53; L Renwick 5-41; A Hafeez 3-30) Linthwaite 124 (D Barker 29; A Edwards 4-9, Y Azam 3-44).

Almondbury 190-5 (M Earnshaw 57no, C Harris 35, J Addy 27) Cawthorne 193-6 (G Parks 47, J Morgan 43, R Bagshaw 27no).

Rastrick 121-8 (R Lambert 41, D Thaxter 26; D Rickson 3-33) Clayton West 125-3 (D Baxter 44no, W Lockwood 51).