AFTER a weekend of mixed fortunes and mixed weather, Honley are left needing just one more win to complete a memorable League title hat trick – while it spelled curtains for both Hall Bower and Scholes!
Despite another battling win on Saturday over Slaithwaite, yesterday’s wash-out for the Chapelgaters meant they can no longer put off what has seemed inevitable for several weeks and they will join Hall Bower (hammered by Elland on Saturday and beaten by the leaders yesterday) in the Conference next season.
Title-chasing rivals Honley and Skelmanthorpe both won on Saturday, but there was a certainy irony about yesterday’s outcome.
Desperate to close the gap on the leaders, Skelmanthorpe started their game against Elland at the scheduled 12.30 start time, while Honley were left kicking their heels at Hall Bower, which prompted a couple of the Honley team to travel over to Lidgett Lane to watch the match.
However, a decision to inspect the Castle Hill club’s ground at 2.30 with the prospect of a 3.00 start sent the Honley duo scampering back to the Bower, where the home side duly made 138-3 in a 25-overs-a-side thrash, Thusara Madanayaka (60) and Russ Evans (35) putting on 100 for the second wicket.
Honley overhauled the total with seven wickets to spare, Matt Cox top-scoring with 80, backed up by Danny Howard (28no) to given them five points. Meanwhile, at Lidgett Lane, Skelmanthorpe managed to dismiss Elland for 225, Ryan Robinson continuing where he left off the previous day (he compiled an unbeaten 135 against Hall Bower) by top-scoring with 68, Andrew Clarke taking five for 64.
In reply Skelmanthorpe were on the brink of victory with Sarfraz Ahmed on 102 not out, needing just 31 more with seven wickets in hand when bad light and then rain ended the game at 7.30pm.
The only match which did get completed yesterday was at Lascelles Hall, where Emley Clarence claimed a four-wicket win, Tim Sykes and Bhilal Khilji both scoring 60 after Mike Fraine had fallen two short of a ton for the Hall who made 214-7, Jon Lee claiming five for 51.
Lascelles Hall had improved their lot the previous day, with a good win over Meltham at Mean Lane, John Booth (72) and Craig Horner (57) putting the visitors on the road to a useful 263-7 total.
Horner also took five wickets as Meltham failed to get a point, despite 49 from Alistair Farrell.
In the Conference sections, Broad Oak confirmed they will be in the play-offs after being assured of runners-up spot in the Frank Platt section, while Clayton West took a massive leap towards being their opponents.
The Oak had no trouble disposing of Primrose Hill as Kirkheaton (their only play-off rivals) lost at Barkisland, despite a battling stand between Luke Webster and Greg Wadsworth for the last wicket.
But there was drama in the Cedar Court, where Marsden, who were in with a good chance of making the play-offs, were pipped by one run at bottom-of-the-table Almondbury, where Kala Khan made 79.
Clayton meanwhile, were beating Thongsbridge by 94 runs, thanks to Stuart Rank smashing his best mark of the season with 14 fours and seven sixes in an unbeaten 137, backed up by Paul van den Berg (71) in a 308-7 tally.
The South African then took five wickets as Thongbridge were dismissed for 214, SP Singh making 84 and young Ben Howitt a fine 60 batting at No9, as he and Alex Kemp (25no) put on 73 for the ninth wicket.
Two more young guns to impress were Daniel Moorhouse and Matthew Pearce, who put on 107 for the fourth wicket for Armitage Bridge.
Both hit career-best first team knocks, Moorhouse making 76, while Pearce finished unbeaten with 65 as the Bridge totalled 230-6 against Paddock, who in turn were shot out for 67, Ian Stephenson closing with five for 10 from 4.3 overs.
Holmfirth reached 100 points in the Cedar Court after beating Kirkburton at Riley Lane. Javed Iqbal junior added yet another five-wicket return to a tremendous haul this season after Mike Bocarro (73) and Javed Iqbal senior (47) had put on another opening century partnership for the Conference champions.
