IT’S pupil v mentor in the first semi-final of the Romida Sykes Cup on Sunday.
Skelmanthorpe star Wasim Jaffer comes up against Scholes ace Iqbal Khan at Lidgett Lane (1.00).
The men are close friends – both having played for Mumbai in first-class cricket and Khan having coached Jaffer in his younger days.
It promises to be an exciting battle, with a place in the final on Sunday, August 8, awaiting the winners.
Jaffer has been in sensational form for Skelmanthorpe all summer and he already has two centuries against Scholes this season – firstly in the Drakes Premiership at Chapelgate, when Skelmanthorpe lost, and then at the same ground in the Romida Twenty/20 when they won.
He is fresh from a midweek ton against Thongsbridge, too, and is showing no sign of letting up on the runs front.
For the record, Jaffer has 1,205 runs in Drakes League and Sykes Cup already at an average of 120.5, and he will be looking to reach a third final at the expense of his old club.
Sarfraz Ahmed and Qaiser Rashid are also dangerous customers, while Craig Glover will be aiming to add to his 46 League and Cup wickets so far.
League batting prize winner Khan will spearhead the Scholes challenge – he has been taking wickets of late to add to his runs – while Ibrar Latif and aggressive Aussie Luke Bird have hit match-winning form with the bat.
Champions Scholes other League prizewinner – opening bowler Andy Alsop – will be vying with Tom Brook and Mohammed Shahnawaz to try and snare Jaffer.
Skelmanthorpe – Sarfraz Ahmed (c), Josh Clarkson (wkt), Richard Cocking, James Crossland, James Dollive, Craig Glover, Josh Ingham, Wasim Jaffer, Qaiser Rashid, Tim Sykes, Kristian Whittaker. Scorer: Alex Needham.
Scholes – (from): James Noble (c), Iqbal Khan, Ibrar Latif, Luke Bird, Tom Brook, Tom Love, Mohammed Shahnawaz, Richard Holmes (wkt), Andy Alsop, Jamie Clayton, Matthew Boorman, Mark Floyd, Louis Sykes, Chris Lawson. Scorer: Vicky Hall.
It’s also the first semi-final of the Spectrum Interiors Paddock Shield on Sunday, when Clayton West entertain Skelmanthorpe (1.00).
Clayton West – (from): Andy Thornhill (c), Alex Clegg (wkt), Howie Senior, Jacob Hawke, Dale Baxter, Will Lockwood, Phil Rigby, Ian Radley, Tom Gibson, Zac Hodder, Danny Wood, Ryan Baxter. Scorer: Josh Blackburn.
Skelmanthorpe – Dan Barber, Tom Barber, Adam Dollive (wkt), Ben Dyson, Steve Glover (c), Jack Greene, Jamie Jagger, Ryan Jagger, Scott Jagger, Paul Roebuck, Dom Storey. Scorer: Bryn Jones-Walters.
The second semi-finals of both competitions are a week on Sunday, July 11 (1.00).
In the Sykes Cup, Delph & Dobcross host Elland, while in the Paddock Shield, holders Scholes host Golcar up at Chapelgate.
