HOLMBRIDGE and Penistone have both booked their places in the semi-finals of this season’s Allsop Cup.
Andy Haigh’s Holmbridge side had a comfortable 61-run over Heckmondwike and Carlinghow, but Penistone’s game went right to the wire before they pipped Premier title-chasers Azaad with the last pair at the wicket.
Batting first, Azaad were in real trouble as Joe Baldwin (three for 34) and David Hawley (three for six) raced through the Horbury side’s line-up before Zahid Shah helped Azaad just past the three figure mark when he made 40 batting at No8.
Chasing 103 for victory, Penistone had a good start from opener Duncan Richards who made 37, but then Waheed Ahmed (three for 17) and Shah (four for 31) got to work, and it was left to Hawley to score the winning runs with nine down to get Penistone over the line.
Holmbridge had few such problems as Scott Whitehead made 46, Robert Parr 32 and Haigh 25 to push the Holme Valley outfit to 156 before they were dismissed with one ball of their innings remaining, Paul Cooper and Adam Holt each taking three wickets.
Haigh then knocked over both openers before Gary Parr stepped in with five for 27 to bowl Heckmondwike out for 95, of which Adam Cooper made a battling 40 not out, but found no support.
Denby Dale’s Ben Oldroyd scored a match-winning 56 not out to steer his side to a one-wicket win over Thurstonland in a delayed second round tie, but Green Moor also moved into the third round after beating Crigglestone by 10 wickets, Mark Elsworth taking six for 23 as Crigg finished 83 all out, before Rotash Saini (54no) and Jamie Dixon (23no) sealed an easy win.
