Ton for Rowles as Copley progress

Copley will host Warley and Northowram Hedge Top will entertain Booth in the semi-finals of the Halifax Parish Cup on July 10.
Cricket - Shelf v Copley. Coply batsman Alex Rowles.Cricket - Shelf v Copley. Coply batsman Alex Rowles.
Cricket - Shelf v Copley. Coply batsman Alex Rowles.

The Premier Division quartet completed wins yesterday in ties affected by rain the previous Sunday.

Warley was the focus of much attention and the hosts rounded off a miserable weekend for champions Jer Lane - thrashed at Booth on Saturday - with a 163-run win.

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Jer Lane, who had only nine batsmen in the absences of captain Mick Hustler and Johnny Lister, were dismissed for 69 in the 27th over with Graham Kinsey taking four for 11. Nasir Chowdrey top scored with 23 not out.

Warley, who last lifted the cup in 2004, had made 232 a week earlier thanks mainly to a 163-run fourth-wicket stand between Shazad Hassan (98) and Greg Keywood (83).

Copley, the 2011 and 2014 cup winners, wrapped up a six-wicket win at Shelf with an unbeaten 126 from ex-Rastrick player Alex Rowles.

Division Two side Shelf had posted 231 the previous week, with Rowles taking three for 34, and Copley needed all their overs to beat that.

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Northowram beat Sowerby Bridge by two wickets on Saturday and cut it even finer yesterday, winning by one wicket at Blackley with Jordan Byrnes again helping to see them over the winning line.

The Rams resumed their pursuit of Blackley’s 180 for nine on eight for two and at 98 for six their prospects didn’t look too bright.

However, their lower order batsmen battled and Byrnes (12 no) and Dom Prentice (6 no) grabbed victory off the first ball of the final over.

Booth were strong favourites at Great Horton Park Chapel, having bowled the middle section side out for 78 on their first trip to Ewart Street.

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It wasn’t plain sailing for the new Premier Division leaders, however. After reaching 51 for one they lost another four wickets before sealing victory. John Midgley made 38 and Steve Senior 21.

In the Crossley Shield, SBCI overhauled visitors Triangle’s 150 all out to win by four wickets.

Mick Wood top scored with 39 for the Church Institute, who are away to a Booth side which brushed aside Bradshaw the previous Sunday.

Blackley went some way towards balancing the books with Northowram when they won the second teams’ meeting by 60 runs at Hedge Top.

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Needing 280 to win, the hosts recovered from 42 for four thanks to James Fearnley (63) and Freddie Holt (58) but three wickets each for Stephen McNamara and Reece Burke helped give Blackley the upper hand.

Blackley will be away to holders Warley, who were set 157 to win at Mytholmroyd and got there for the loss of four wickets with 64 not out from James Whitworth.