u17s League Report week 1

THE KEIGHLEY CUP2000 LEAGUE in association with...
Wharfedale find form..................................Champions back in the hunt...................................Sutton and West End in line...................................

u17s League Report week 10

Bogey club Skipton almost had another surprise for Oakworth. The Oaks batted first and made a gettable 114-6, Michael Clegg top scorer with 27. An impressive start by Oaks bowlers seemed to have them on track for an easy win. But Keir Nelson rode his luck and battled to 40 and a late fling from Andrew Watson and Luke Facey gave the visitors every chance. It was left to u15 Greig Hudson to finish things off with 4-27 to add to the earlier 3-16 from Luke Taylor. The win came with an on-boundary catch from Jack Cawood when a six might have swung it the Skipton way. Bolton Abbey maintained their top position with a five wicket win at Denholme. They chased 86-5 which owed a great deal to Joe Greenwood 50 after Will Patchett's 3-18 held his mates in check. Phil Midgeley 26 led a wobbly if rapid reply to 87-5. Another impressive half-century from Joseph Ousey set up a 109-3 Oxenhope score at home to Embsay. A solid batting reply included 30 from Henry Barrow and 22 from debutant Chris Crook which brought the victory in 18 overs with 2 wickets lost.

Upper Wharfedale survived a tough encounter at Haworth making first knock of 135 all out. Chris Marshall finished off the innings with 3-12 after opener Jake Starkey made 54 to give the innings some stability. The Haworth response started poorly but Dean Knapper 39 and David Robinson 44 pulled things around to set up a close finish. When this pairing were dismissed in the last over the result went to the wire with Haworth ending on 129-5, 6 short of their visitors.

u17s League Report week 9

Two of a number of potential Championship winners met at Summerhill Lane and the home side took the points by the narrow margin of 4 runs against top team Oakworth. Tom Stead was dropped on 5 but went on to make 50 in the 131-1 first knock. Michael Clegg was run out on 48 but he led the Oakworth reply and with one over to go 9 runs were required. Amazingly 4 wickets fell and only 5 runs were gained in a classic Championship shoot out. Steeton now join Oakworth on 18 points but have a match in hand. Skipton moved up a place with a 70 run win over bottom side Denholme. The Dynamoes had Luke Pickles in excellent nick with 5 for 18 but even he couldn't shift Sam Baldwin who made 50 of the Skipton 114-9. The Denholme batting wasn't able to come close as the Skipton bowlers halted their efforts on 44 all out. The Bolton Abbey side were looking to avoid a third defeat in a row after such a healthy start to the year. Their posting of 118-6 wasn't altogether convincing but was a step up from 47 all out last week. The Oxenhope innings set of in typical high pace and openers Jimmy Marshall 35 and Joseph Ousey seemed set to carry their team to victory, but tighter bowling pulled the run rate back to normality and in a tense final over the Abbotts hung on to win by 1 run. With a win potentially taking Silsden to the top of the KC2000 League, their batsmen set off in some style. Dominic Bennett 54 and Nathan Bradbury 51 were severe on the Embsay attack. 152-3 was their final score and the Embsay cause was further undermined by the bowling of Kieran Lawrence who took 4-20. Lloyd Davies was the one Embsay batsman to shine with 30.

Sutton took another giant step towards Division One with victory over Bingley Congs. David Snowden became the first bowler to qualify for league averages with a match winning 5 for 12. He had great support from M Shanawaz with 3 for 8 to control the Congs to a gettable 94 all out. Amjid Hussain marshalled the batsmen to an 8 wicket margin. Sutton now head the Division with 4 matches to play, having lost just once to Haworth West End in a high scoring thriller. Haworth are very much on a roll with 4 wins in their last five matches. This week they took the Bronte Derby with an 8-wicket win over previously unbeaten leaders Haworth West End, who now slip to 2nd behind Sutton. For the West Enders Tinashe Gomwe stroked 51 and James Sutcliffe added another 35 in a useful 146-5. Undaunted the Haworth boys stormed after the target with Matthew Halliday to the fore with 50 and fellow opener P Kohli continued his fine form run with 43. The win came with 2 balls to spare and Haworth move into 3rd place in the promotion race.

u17s League Report week 8

On a glorious night for batting challengers Oakworth had both Luke Taylor and Brannan Lawn with 51 against Embsay. The shirt-front wicket was just made for batting and both Lloyd Davies and Henry Barrow enjoyed themselves scoring 47 and 40. But overall their rate was always behind the 8-ball and their innings ended 18 shy of the Oakworth 153-2. There were even more runs up at Denholme with visitors Oxenhope rattling up 172-4, the season's best to date. Jimmy Marshall hit the headlines with 53 and Joseph Ousey 44 and Josh Tetley 40 were also highly effective. Tom Greenwood's 51 made sure Denholme kept in the hunt but he didn't have the same degree of back up and they fell short by 35 runs in a match of 307 runs. Both teams though remain anchored at the bottom of the Division both seemingly in need of bowling improvement. Skipton failed to shake Steeton from their attempt to retain their title as the Champs strolled home in 10 overs by 9 wickets. Keir Nelson scored 46 for the home side but Freddie Osadzenko was out agonisingly 1 short of his 50 to seal an easy win.

A truly consistent bowling attack from Sutton had neighbours Glusburn in trouble and an 85-9 posting would always prove difficult to defend. Chris Williams 40 and David Snowden 30 made sure the maximum benefit without wicket loss was derived in their promotion push. Unbeaten Haworth West End suffered two early wickets at the hands of Gargrave but led by Joe Bottomley 50 and Callum Jones 50 they recovered well to reach 140-3. Gargrave never really threatened and their response ended at 87-7. Dan Russell led his Upper Wharfedale side with match winning 54 after their long trip to Bingley Congs. Led by Robert Greenwood with 31 a solid 105-4 was on the tins but it was 23 fewer than the 128-3 from the visitors.

u17s League Report week 7

After Friday night's Spencer Cup quarter final clash between Oakworth and Bolton Abbey, the return league match was a chance for instant revenge for the Oaks who our now out of the Cup. The Abbotts had Adam Yates 50 holding things together as some fine bowling and exceptional fielding from a confident oaks kept their tally to 100-8. Luke Taylor took the Oaks anchor role and scored 43 and with 28 from pigeon catcher Jack Hainsworth and 25 from Brannan Lawn an 8-wicket margin with 6 overs in hand was the Cure Hill sides reward. Abbotts lead is now cut to just 3 points approaching the half stage of the season. Champions Steeton are in fourth place with a solid win over bottom side Denholme. The Steeton innings featured 35 from Tom Stead in a gettable 105-3 tally. Stead's bowling returned to normal service with 3 for 2 and the backing was extensive to bowl out the Dynamoes for 73. The Skipton derby went to visitors Embsay after a magnificent bowling performance from Joshua Robinson 5-12 contained all the Skipton batsmen after the openers who made 64 of the 98-9 total, Sam Baldwin taking 36. Then Nathan Robinson got in the act with 29 to see home the winners with 8 balls unused. George Nixon led an under pressure Oxenhope attack at Silsden and he grabbed the first three wickets to fall. But neither he nor his pals could shift Dominic Bennett who went on to make 54 in a useful 147-6. Another youngster Tom Marshall marshalled the response with 44 and they were always in the hunt. The tail couldn't quite wag enough as the Oxenhope tally fizzled out at 136-8.

Glusburn entertained Upper Wharfedale on a fine sunny Monday and the Dales batters made hay with 166-2. There were score over 30 from Dan Russell, Jake Starkey, Jack Schindler and Ben Davey as the home bowlers toiled. The home response was curtailed with fine bowling from Sam Mason with 3-20 to 99-7, of which Jack Price made 30. The eagerly awaited clash of the unbeaten titans unfolded at an equally sunny West End and what a humdinger it was. With 50 runs from skipper Danny Riley the match got off to a flyer and all his mates took toil on the Sutton attack. The 166-5 first stanza looked all over a winner but the South Craven lads blasted back led by 2007 u15s top batsman Jonny Wilkinson with 35. When Ben Simons added 32 the easy victory looked anything but. The Sutton pursuit didn't quite match the home side but with 143-7 and a match of 309 runs all were royally entertained. Ryan Clark led Haworth to a clear victory at Gargrave with his 53 despite 3 wickets each for Alex McIntyre and John Beckwith. The 122-6 from the Bronte boys was well ahead of the Gargrave 73-7. Haworth now lead the chasing pack behind Haworth WE and Sutton.

u17s League Report week 6

The Silsden batsmen were in fine nick rattling up 152-6 none more so than Joe Hicks with 50. The young Denholme riposte fell well short with 82-5 as the Silsden bowlers gave nothing away. Despite 24 from new find Henry Barrow Embsay failed to break their on-field duck losing out by 4 wickets to Champions Steeton. Ross Suri now firmly in all-round mode made 28 in the win which keeps them in contention. Luke Stockton and Zach Pearson took 3 wickets for their respective teams. A well supported Worth Valley derby resulted in a 4 run win for visitors Oakworth as Oxenhope suffered 5 run outs chasing their 124-4. Brannan Lawn celebrated his elevation to the First XI with a timely 40 whilst home lad Joseph Ousey posted a near max 54. Leaders Bolton Abbey had a huge scare making just 87-8 at home to a competitive Skipton. Patrick Martin worried the Abbotts with 3-20. But the Abbotts bowlers also exploited the conditions well and Dan Parkinson chalked up 4-23 with Phil Midgeley taking 3-23 as Skipton's challenge subsided to 73 all out. Bolton Abbey remain 6 points clear of Oakworth, who meet on Monday, and Silsden whilst the young Denholme team remain without a win.

Bronte side Haworth found their batting boots and stacked up 141-3 with another new find P Kohli contributing 52. Matthew Halliday added 30 off the toothless Bingley Congs attack. By contrast their batsmen made a better fist of things with 102-9, Dan Secker making 25. Sutton entertained Gargrave, who have yet to find their feet and the home side came out on top by 51 runs. Amjid Hussain led the batting to 105-5 whilst the visitors barely got out of the blocks with 54-7. In Division Two Sutton too have a six point lead over Haworth West End, both of whom remain unbeaten. West End have two games in hand. Danny Riley took his second five-for of the season (5-24) to undermine the Wharfedale batting which closed on 97 all out. James Sutcliffe led the Haworth West End reply to 98-6 and three points with 9 balls in hand. The 3-24 from Edward Hird wasn't quite enough to defend the dales tally. Unbeaten Sutton and West End meet this Monday at Penistone Hill.

u17s League Report week 5

An 18-ball 54 (seven 6s) from Amjid Hussain was the centrefold of a Sutton 154-5 score-line but which also included a fine knock from Chris Williams of 28. The Glusburn batsmen with the exception of Andrew Cairns 25 struggled to match the performance as David Snowden penned them back with 3 for 4 and an 89-9 reply.

u17s League Report week 4

Denholme Dynamoes had failed to wind up for their League & Cup clash with Oakworth as they tumbled to just 29 all out in 13 overs. No-one made double figures in the wake of exceptional bowling from 14-year old swing bowler Greig Hudson whose 3 overs brought him 4 for 6. The tail continued the top order collapse as usual stumper Chris Crook spun out another 3 for 2. Oaks knocked off the runs with 2 down in 5 overs. Unbeaten league leaders Bolton Abbey faced up with t'other end o't railway with Embsay and a high scoring mach ensued. Consistent scoring without anyone going on to a major score brought the Abbotts 131-4. John Crozier 3-10 and Dan Prkinson 3-15 contained well and after Nathan Robinson had departed for a fine 45 the Embsay total subsided to 103-9. At Oxenhope Champions Steeton found their batting form piling on the runs to total 177-6. Freddie Osadzenko was the leading light with 50. Tom Stead made 30 and Ross Suri a late 27. The home side went after the total with some style and a cracking opening partnership between Jimmy Marshall 53 and Josh Tetley 34 gave them every chance but the effort petered out at a very creditable 137-4. The 314 runs is the third highest aggregate recorded.

Upper Wharfedale found the Sutton bowlers in miserly mood and their 86-8 might have been much inferior without the 36 from Dan Russell and 31 from opener Jake Starkey. Sutton pressed home their advantage through 35 from Jonny Wilkinson and they cruised to a 7 wicket win inside 13 overs. The inclusion of four new players failed to bring Bingley Congs success. Haworth West End's Danny Riley ripped out the heart of the batting with 5 for 9 to leave the Congs on 74-9. In 12.4 overs Tinashe Gomwe 36 led his West Enders to victory by 8 wickets. Haworth got their first win of the season at the expense of Glusburn, who were all out for just 47. Ben Bright was the primary cause with 3 for 12. The Haworth reply wasn't all plain sailing either as they lost 5 wickets reaching the target. Herbie Starkey held them up with 3 for 15 but Bright saw the Bronte boys home with an unbeaten 22 to complete a personal fine performance.