CLAYTON WEST took the plaudits on as they produced the shock of the round in the Romida Sykes Cup’s first round when they beat Honley by five wickets.

The Drakes Huddersfield League champions may have enjoyed a stranglehold on the Premiership over the last few years, but they do seem to have great problems getting beyond the first round of the League’s top knockout competition.

Last season they were beaten at the same stage by Holmfirth, and they came up well short again as the Frank Platt Championship side scored a memorable Cup victory.

Australian Daniel Del Prete took four for 57 and Chris James three for 33 as Honley crashed to 68-5, and despite 43 from John Greaves and an unbeaten 31 from Martin Green, they struggled to 171 all out.

Del Prete then made 47 at the top of Clayton’s order, before Will Lockwood led the visitors to victory with an unbeaten 50, including five fours and a six in the shock win.

Tom Denton marked his first knock of the year with a superb 133 against Broad Oak.

After losing SP Singh and Tim Rees cheaply, Denton put on 70 with Liam Wiles (25) and 101 with Amar Rashid (78) bringing up his century in the 31st over out of a total of 154 as Shepley went on to total 282-6.

And that was clearly too many, as the Glovers, Danny and Craig knocked over the first four Oak batsmen and with a runout of skipper Harvey Anderson, the visitors had no way back from 40-5.

Max Freeland rolled back the years with a battling 73, helped by Tom McCreadie (30no) but they were finally sent back for 180.

Skipper James Nole (87) and Iqbal Khan (67) finally got Scholes’ season on track as they put on 134 for the third wicket to steer them to 223-6 at Slaithwaite, who crashed to the accurate bowling of Andy Alsop (six for 50) and were dismissed for 122.

Zahid Ahmed made a superb 114 for Paddock with 15 fours and three sixes, but they were never going to challenge Delph & Dobcross’ massive 368-3, in which Irfan Zahoor and Faisal Butt both made 98, backed up by Bilal Khiljee (72) and Arron Lilley (57no), the latter also taking seven for 64.

Cawthorne gained their first win of the season, just, as they beat former Central League colleagues Cumberworth by one wicket thanks to Chris Matthewman’s 40, and a crucial 54-run stand for the eighth wicket by Billy Rayner (26) and Jake Rodgers (34no).

The day’s third ton came at Kirkburton, where Shelley’s Greg Wadsworth hit 11 fours and four sixes in a 114-ball 104, supported by Kiwi Dan Hill (63) as the visitors totalled 254-7.

Matthew Wood (77) and Andrew Smith (33) got Burton’s reply off to a good start, but once they fell the rest followed quickly to Akhlaq Ahmed (seven for 29) and were shot out for 151.

Skipper Simon Wheelwright (67no) and Alex Kaye (39) steered Barkisland to a five-wicket win over Linthwaite, while Louis Aspeling’s unbeaten 63 was too good for Thongsbridge, who had been dismissed for 135, Peter Lombar taking four for 45 for Cup holders Skelmanthorpe.

Andy Gledhill (63), Richard Sugden (57) and Carl Jump led Armitage Bridge to a useful 236-5 tally against Lascelles Hall, who were always struggling once Jump (four for 42) and Danny Moorhouse (two for 42) were brought into the attack, despite a fighting 42 from Jason Dawson.

Meltham had few problems at Hall Bower, Kundai Mhunda taking four for 21 as the home side were shot out for 125 before Nadeem Ashraf’s unbeaten 55 saw the visitors safely through.

Tom Binns (66) and Matt Henshaw (82) powered Almondbury Wesleyans into the second round as the Kaye Lane side made 291-8 before dismissing Micklehurst for 170.

Jonny Bishop carried his bat for Kirkheaton with an unbeaten 53, but apart from Naved Akram (12) no-one else made double figures as Elland bowled them out for 116, Chris Goulden the pick of the bowlers with four for 23 and Craig Fletcher three for 23.

Green Finn (43no) and Nick Sharpe (30no) saw Elland through by eight wickets.

Rastrick rolled Lepton Highlanders for 50 with Mohammed Saddiq taking eight for 28 – but an appeal is almost certainly pending as the non-EU player was playing his first game!

Golcar’s Eddie Wilson scored a half-century in the home side’s 214-7 total against Holmfirth, who in turn were ousted for 119, Steve Whitwam making his presence felt with five for 42 after failing with the bat.