HOYLANDSWAINE hope a wealth of county experience will be enough to help them lift the Romida Twenty20 Trophy at Scholes on Sunday.
To achieve the feat – and become the first Drakes Huddersfield League side to take that title twice – John Sadler’s side will have to overcome Wasim Jaffer and a talented Scholes line-up on their own Chapelgate patch (4.00).
The Barnsley-based side, however, have been carrying all before them in the Drakes Premiership this season and will be fancied by many to build on their comprehensive win against Shelley in the semi-finals.
Sadler, who played with Yorkshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire in a long county career, could have Yorkshire’s Joe Sayers available to play alongside Alex Morris (Yorkshire and Hampshire), Chris Schofield, who was also in the White Rose ranks, and Amar Rashid, who has played with the Unicorns.
Schofield and Michael Cranmer have junior international experience as well, with England and Australia respectively, while Don Bandula has represented Sri Lanka.
It all adds up to a fascinating clash with Scholes, who have ex-India Test opener Jaffer as their ace in the pack and will be expecting a big all-round contribution from vastly-experienced former Mumbai man Iqbal Khan.
In the absence of skipper Ashley Pamment – whose side are also looking for a second win in the competition having won the first in 2007 – Scholes will be led by blossoming all-rounder Tom Brook, who can rely on the experience of opening bowler Andrew Alsop and wicketkeeper Richard Holmes to augment the input of youthful bunch Adam France, Tom Boorman, Josh Brook (his brother) and Mark Floyd.
Umpires for the Trophy final are Keith Hallam and Phillip Mitton.
While the Premiership showdown begins at 4pm, action at Chapelgate starts at noon when Cawthorne and Lascelles Hall contest the Twenty20 shield final (the competition for clubs in the Frank Platt Championship and Cedar Court Conference).
It’s the first time this competition has been staged and, once again, the final promises plenty of six-hitting entertainment.
Umpires for the Shield are David Haikings and Richard Pearce.
There will be bars, barbecue and food available all day at Chapelgate, in addition to music and announcements to keep fans up to the second with information, and League officials have set admission at £3 for adults and £1.50 concessions (which covers both matches).
