In the Halifax Cricket League, the most nail-biting finish of the day occurred in the First Division, where reigning champions Warley suffered a narrow defeat at the hands of Low Moor HT, falling short by just one run. Low Moor HT took the first bat, with Mark Stokes leading the charge with a score of 44. Milton Greenwood’s impressive performance, taking 5-59, brought his season’s League wicket tally to a fitting 59.
In response, Trinity seemed to have the upper hand at 106-8, but Warley’s captain, James Whitworth (21), pushed the score to 137-8. However, Stokes (2-4) swiftly took Whitworth’s wicket, as well as that of the final batsman, resulting in Warley being all out for 145. Trinity finished the season in 4th place, tantalisingly close to securing the 2nd spot.
Both of the relegated teams bid farewell to the division with consoling victories. In a remarkably low-scoring match at Clayton, visiting Mount struggled to muster only 73 runs, thanks to outstanding performances by Matthew Roe (4-6) and Will Garside (4-28). Surprisingly, this total proved to be 17 runs too many for Clayton, who only managed a paltry 56 all out, with Ismail Mayat recording an impressive 11-4-26-6.
Southowram also emerged victorious, clinching a five-wicket win against Greetland on their home ground. The visitors posted a total of 163 all out, with Imran Aslam leading the charge with an impressive 61. The Rams, thanks in large part to Yasir Mahmood’s unbeaten 67 and Michael Drage’s 52, secured the win in the 39th over with a final score of 166-5.
Meanwhile, the jubilant members of the Shelf Northowram HT club, clearly still basking in the glow of their various triumphs this season, watched as their promoted First XI suffered a three-wicket defeat at the hands of Great Horton PC on home turf. Hedge led the scoring with 147 all out, but Great Horton responded with a commendable 148-7.
