DANNY RHODES stunned Delph & Dobcross with a top drawer bowling performance as Golcar joined Kirkburton at the top of the table following Sunday’s double header.
The former Elland seamer produced his best-ever display at Swallow Lane to rip the heart out of the Delph innings with a five for 11 haul as the visitors were turned over for just 90.
Kevin Hook made 33 for Delph before becoming Rhodes’ first victim, but then it became a procession as Rhodes went through the middle order before Steve Whitwam mopped up the tail with three for 12, while Michael Illingworth donned the keeper’s gloves and scooped five catches behind the stumps.
Adnan Ghaus took out Golcar’s openers, but Aussie Andy Chalkley saw Golcar through to a seven wicket win with an unbeaten 44.
Kirkburton defeated Clayton West by eight wickets, but had to settle for just five points as Kevin Rank and Danny Wood held firm to guarantee their side at least one point at 153-9.
After losing Andy Smith, Matthew Wood (62) and Greg Buckley (71no) put on a century stand for the second wicket to see the visitors home in the 31st over.
The other top clash of the double-header weekend was at Elland, where Shepley were the visitors, and looked likely to set a good target – SP Singh making 81.
But from a promising position, Shepley collapsed against the twin spin threat of Lorenzo Ingram (five for 50) and Chris Goulden (three for 40), losing their last six wickets for 16 runs to be all out for 150.
Paul Winrow and Greg Finn were early victims, but Ingram completed a great all-round effort with 66, with support from Niall Lockley (29) and Simon Wheelwright (28no) as Elland wrapped it up with six wickets and more than eight overs in hand.
Honley have quickly made their way back up the table again after back-to-back weekend wins over Shelley and Hall Bower.
Sid Sharma (four for 55) and Max Morley (three for six) were the chief Bower destroyers, with Ibrar Latif’s 45 the only show of resistance in the 117 all out total.
Simon Kelly (52) made his third half-century in succession in a solid opening with Danny Howard (22), before Max Joice (36no) led Honley to a very convincing victory by eight wickets in just 20 overs.
Tom Brook is becoming Scholes’ star turn this season, either with bat or ball – on Sunday against Marsden it was with the bat, as he held the innings together with an excellent unbeaten 86, batting at No6.
As others perished cheaply around him, Brook finally find support from Adam France (43no) to push Scholes out to 209-8, and that proved far too many for Marsden, who couldn’t cope with the Chapelgaters’ three-pronged attack of Andy Alsop, who bagged five for 32, Iqbal Khan (three for 12) and France, who knocked over the visitors’ openers.
Yorkshire’s Joe Sayers was again in Hoylandswaine’s line-up for the game against Shelley, but failed to make an impression after being skittled by Muhammad Azharullar for just 11 as the Barnsley side lost three early wickets.
Michael Cranmer (58) and Alex Morris (47) shored up the middle order however before Swaine were dismissed for 188 in the last over, Sam Scott bowling through to claim seven for 106.
Scott also top-scored with 36, but Shelley’s slender batting folded to Don Bandula (five for 42) and Amar Rashid (three for 28) and were dismissed for 121.
Alex Scholefield inspired Skelmanthorpe to a 10-wicket romp over Slaithwaite, who were shot out for 90, of which Wajid Hussain made 44.
Former Barkisland player Scholefield took seven for 44 before hitting an unbeaten 59 in reply.
