IF Mytholmroyd were under any illusion that retaining their Halifax League title would be easy they were shattered at Moderna Way on Saturday.
Visiting openers Alex Kaye and Jamie Summerscales hit a century apiece as newly-promoted SBCI made a dream start to life in the top league at the expense of last year’s double winners.
They compiled a stand of 224 in the space of 40 overs before G
ideon Foster (five for 79) managed to put the brakes on.
Even so a total of 263 proved well beyond Mytholmroyd although they did manage to record maximum batting points with a reply of 183 for nine.
Zeb Mahmood did his best to get Mytholmroyd into the game, taking three for 13 and following up with a typically hard-struck 60.
But Mytholmroyd lost wickets steadily to Chris Punda, Oli Benson and spinner Summerscales and were never really in the hunt.
Booth were undone by the return of veteran Phil Taylor to the league as they lost by six wickets against Northowram Hedge Top.
Taylor took six for 52 and teamed up with skipper Andrew Gardner (four for 41) as Booth were all out for 123 – Butterworth, 28, Sharkey, 21, and Mosley, 20, the only contributions of note.
Richard Moore’s 52 then saw the Rams home with plenty to spare.
In Division one Luddenden Foot also lost out, by seven wickets against Jer Lane.
Skipper Andrew Heptonstall, 37no, and Jon Midgley, 36, grafted in the middle order after opener Martin, 28, had got the innings off to a reasonable start. However, an unbeaten 59 from Johnny Lister meant that Lane got home after 42 overs.
New captain and spin bowler Gareth Duffield bowled 23 overs and took four for 40 as Old Town edged a close Division two contest at home to Stones.
It went right down to the wire as Town took the final wicket off the second ball of the final over.
Town’s total of 184 included five consecutive sixes by Wahid Mahmood off Ben Watkins’ 11th over.
Mahmood ended unbeaten on 52 while Thwaites, 38, Yates, 27, and Mahmood, 20, were the major contributors.
Second XI
Mytholmroyd were weakened by football calls by Hebden Royd Red Star but they would still have expected better than being skittled for 60 at SBCI.
Bill Keighley did the damage with six for 23 and Mick Wood’s unbeaten 30 so the home side to victory inside 15 overs.
The full article contains 417 words and appears in Hebden Bridge Times newspaper.
