In the First Division of the Halifax Cricket League, Warley’s James Whitworth stood out as an unconventional captain, choosing to field first on a scorching day with temperatures hitting 28°C (or 82°F in old currency), the only captain to make such a choice. Greetland found themselves at the receiving end and made the most of it, amassing a commendable 248-5 in their allotted 45 overs. Shakeel Mahmood was in exceptional form, notching up a maiden century with an unbeaten 101. Muhammad Yousaf provided solid support, contributing 48 to a second-wicket partnership that yielded 125 runs. However, Whitworth’s trust in his batsmen was vindicated as they successfully chased down the target in the 42nd over. Nolan Bottomley (76), Chris Marsh (62), Toby Cliff (38), and Faheem Khatana (37 not out) all made significant contributions, propelling Warley to 250-4 and securing the championship.
At Shelf Northowram HT, Southowram struggled, posting a total of 148 all out. No batter managed to reach the 30-run mark, with the wickets being evenly distributed among the four Hedge Top bowlers. The home team had little trouble in achieving the target, reaching 149-5 in just 20.3 overs. This victory earned them a spot alongside Warley in the top flight for the upcoming season, thanks in large part to Chris Metcalf’s blistering 85 off 47 balls and James Fearnley’s composed, unbeaten 41 off the same number of deliveries.
In their home fixture, Great Horton PC secured a commanding 63-run victory over Mount. Ricky Hassall led the charge with an unbeaten 91, while Hasnain Khan chipped in with 47, helping Great Horton finish at 199-8. Ismail Mayat was the top scorer for the visitors, managing 43 runs. However, no other batter managed to surpass 15 as Zafar Anwar shone with a brilliant 5-22, ultimately bowling Mount out for a total of 136.
