Academy miss chance to close gap on leaders
Posted on 1st August 2021 at 01:08
Premier League review
Hunters ECB Yorkshire Premier League North leaders Castleford spent a second weekend side-lined after their game at Kings Mill Road became the latest to be cancelled due to issues with covid, this time the problem occurring in the Driffield Town camp, but nearest rivals Yorkshire Academy were unable to close the gap as they lost at home to Dunnington.
Tom Loten (51) who spent two full seasons with the Academy was one of two batters to score half-centuries as the visitors reached 211-5. Andrew Bilton got their innings off to a solid start making 38 and then after Loten was dismissed Luke Kilby (40) and George Drury put on 83 for the fourth wicket the latter finishing unbeaten on 57. The home side struggled losing half their wickets for 57 runs and despite the efforts of Noah Priestley (28), Alex Kaye (27no) and George Booth (22) lower down the order they ended up well short of the target losing by 56 runs, Dave Brent finishing with 4-33. The county side remain second in the table but completing the double over their opponents for the first-time lifts Brent’s side up to third in the table.
There were three wickets each for James Wainman (3-24) and Harry Rinke (3-3) as Scarborough beat relegation threatened Harrogate by five wickets at North Marine Road. Harry Stothard (42) was one of only three batters to reach double figures as the visitors were bowled out for 124. The home side were made to work for the points Dominic Bradburne (2-41) with two wickets early on and three from Ishan Abeysekara (3-42) but neither were able to dislodge the inform Breidyn Schaper who guided his side to victory finishing unbeaten on 45.
There was a tight finish at Moor Farm where Sheriff Hutton Bridge beat Woodhouse Grange by 16 runs in a low scoring game. Despite being bowled out for 141 there was still cause for celebration for the home side Dulash Udayanga becoming the first overseas player in the competition’s history to score 2000 runs, the Sri Lankan finishing as leading scorer in the innings with 39 as James Finch took 4-16, the hosts losing their last seven wickets for 40 runs. The visitors fared little better and found themselves 37-5 before Finch (39) and Cristopher Suddaby (28) put on 69, but then Ben Harrison picked up the wickets of both batters and went on to clinch the win with figures of 4-24.
James Keast took a Yorkshire League North career best 5-23 to earn Stamford Bridge a much-needed victory at Low Catton Road where Acomb were bowled out for 132 despite an unbeaten half-century from Darius D’Silva (52no). There were also three wickets for Dave Chaplin (3-35) as the visitors lost by 40 runs. Earlier the home side reached 180-8 thanks largely to 60 from Salman Syed, although James Tindall looked to have given his side a chance of recording back-to-back wins for the first time since mid-May by taking 4-34 to restrict the hosts’ total.
Samuel Grant (6-26) and David Friend (4-66) bowled unchanged sharing all ten wickets as Clifton Alliance bowled out neighbours York for 99. Skipper Simon Lambert top scored with 41 in what was his sides lowest ever total in the competition. Opener Scott Hopkinson replied for the home side with 44 and despite three wickets from Charlie Elliot (3-25) the hosts cruised to a comfortable victory reaching 101-5 inside 22 overs. The result lifts Alliance to eighth in the table whilst three defeats from their last four leaves their opponents just outside the relegation places.
Report by Kevin Hutchinson
Share this post: