DURABLE Delph & Dobcross remain in the running for a possible treble.

Still aiming to close a 13-point Premiership gap on leaders Golcar – who they face in the Romida Sykes Cup semi-finals this Sunday – Delph are through to the last four of the Examiner Twenty/20 Trophy.

And they did it by beating Golcar on their own patch in a 15-over shoot-out which drew a big crowd to Swallow Lane.

They will now play at Broad Oak in the second semi-final of the competition a week tomorrow, July 18 (6.30), after the Oak top-scored in the quarters when knocking out Primrose Hill.

The first semi-final will be played this coming Tuesday (6.30) when Honley entertain Kirkheaton.

Golcar posted 102-8 in their innings, having been pegged back by some tight bowling from Delph skipper Grant Jones, who claimed two for eight off three overs of left-arm spin, bowling with the new Romida orange ball.

Australian Tim Welsford got 28 off 13 deliveries at the top of the order, hitting five fours and a six, but his first-wicket partnership of 32 off 16 balls with Craig Horner was to prove the highest of the innings.

Gary Colman, skippering the side, provided some mid-innings impetus with three boundaries in his 18-ball 21 but, with Mike Smethurst also claiming a couple of wickets, Golcar were never able to really cut loose.

In reply, Delph got home in the penultimate over after a well-judged chase from a solid platform provided by openers Jamie Haynes – using one of Andrew Flintoff’s own Woodworm bats – and Ian Hague, who put on 43 in 6.5 overs before the latter was bowled by Steve Whitwam (the best of the Golcar bowlers with two for 17 off three).

Haynes went on to make 43 off 28 deliveries with six fours and two sixes and, after he was superbly stumped by Simon Walker off Whitwam, it was then left to Bilal Khiljee to steer the Huddersfield Road side to victory.

Khiljee finished 31 not out off 23 balls, hitting a four and two sixes, although it was skipper Jones who finished the job with a six and a four off the returning Welsford.

Honley, who were beaten finalists last year, romped to victory in their home quarter-final clash with Micklehurst after a fine bowling show from Martin Green.

The visitors batted first and totalled 116-9 in their 20 overs, experienced Melbourn Austin making 41 and Qaisar Rashid 20 but the rest being shackled by Green, who claimed four for 22 in his four overs.

Honley then powered to a six-wicket win in just 13.3 overs, Matt Cox and Harlon Haye sharing in a 72-run unbroken stand to seal the win despite Austin taking three for 21 as the hosts fell to 46-4 at one stage.

Cox included eight fours and two sixes in his 59 not out while Haye was 21 not out at the end.

At Kirkheaton, Dale Winterbottom proved their hero in the win over Premiership Skelmanthorpe.

Winterbottom hit a top score of 29 in the Kirkheaton total of 109-6 off 16 overs and then bowled superbly to take one for 10 off four as Skelmanthorpe were held to 92-6 in reply.

Ibrar Younas (18) and Chris Murdoch (24) were the other main contributors to the batting, while only James Dollive (22) and Ben Dyson (22no) got to grips for the visitors.

Kirkheaton shared the wickets around with Younas, Syed Bilal, Murdoch and Alex Slack all taking one apiece to back up Winterbottom.

At Primrose Hill, Broad Oak’s 120 from 20 was solidly enough to take them through.