Thrilling win gives Batley vital points
IN A thrilling Central Yorkshire Premier Division clash that went down to the penultimate ball, Batley did just enough to clinch a priceless two-run win at fellow strugglers Wakefield Thornes.
A terrific second-wicket partnership of 111 between Fawad Maqsood (57) and Mohammed Bashir (44) put the visitors in a strong position at 128-2.
However, Matthew Varley (4-62) and Nadeera Nawela (3-19) then racked-up the wickets to limit Batley to 213-9.
Knocks from Roheil Hussain (22) and Huzaifa Patel (18 not out) boosted the visitors’ tally and would prove crucial in the end.
Thornes’ order produced a solid effort in reply with much of the top order contributing towards an increasingly frantic run chase.
Richard Foster (30), Jordan Anderson (37) and Tom Froggett (31) all put in resolute displays as the hosts closed in on their target while Ayaz Seedat (4-59) and Patel (3-50) struck to hand the initiative to Batley.
Eventually, it came down to the penultimate delivery when tail-ender Derek Colquhoun was run-out by Seedat to dismiss Wakefield for 211.
The result lifts Batley off the bottom of the table, where Thornes now languish, level on points with Birstall who went down by eight wickets at home to Townville.
Number one bat Connor Williams remained stubbornly at the crease in a fine innings of 67 not out but his Birstall team-mates fell foul of Ritchie Bresnan (4-35), Dean Woolsey (3-38) and Wade Lezar (2-28).
James Byrne (25) was the only other batsman to reach double figures as the hosts were skittled out for 146.
Byrne claimed an early wicket but Townville’s Jonathan Booth (73) and Steve Secker (24 not out) steadied the ship to steer the visitors to 147-2 after 29.2 overs.
Mirfield Parish Cavaliers can count themselves very fortunate to get a share of the points from their abandoned clash with Methley.
Methley romped to 259-3 courtesy of Nicholas Connolly (118) and Christopher Holliday (120 not out). Michael Padgett (2-70) was Cavaliers’ most successful bowler.
Parish’s response struggled to get going and Tharaka Gunarathne (17) was the top scorer as the hosts limped to 83-5 before rain brought an end to the game.
Batley A edged a little further away from the drop zone in Division 2 thanks to sensational bowling from Faizal Mamaniat and Mohammed Bhoola.
At home to Gildersome, Abdurrashid Mamaniat’s 24 was the highlight in the Batley innings that crashed to 119 all out after 35 overs.
Khalil Liaquat (3-31), Martin Morley (3-45) and Anil Barot (3-31) made the most of the wicket to put Batley in trouble.
Gildersome’s hopes of batting their way to an easy win were scuppered however and Faizal Mamaniat (4-28) and Bhoola (4-15) ripped through the visitors’ order.
Only Gareth Hiron (23) could muster any meaningful runs for the visitors who returned to the pavilion on 88 all out.
The victory lifts Batley up one place to ninth in the table and seven points clear of the bottom two.
Birstall A also moved up the standings despite bad light forcing an early conclusion to their game at Townville A.
Adam Holroyd (3-40) and Sean Twohig (2-33) worked well with the ball but Townville’s Thomas Dean (55) and Conor Harvey (29) boosted their side to 157-8 after 50 overs.
Birstall’s reply was hardly convincing and once opener Richard Sidle (23) had been trapped lbw, the rest of the reply fell foul of Ricky Harvey (3-31) and Aamir Najeeb (2-19).
The visitors limped their way to 107-6 before bad light forced the game to be abandoned.
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Weather for Batley
Wednesday 19 June 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 11 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: East
