Warley bag another trophy

A 13-run win over Thornton in the final followed a 15-run semi-final success over a Triangle team they had beaten at Copley in the cup final.

Morning rain meant that the Foster’s sponsored finals day, originally scheduled for July 29, was under threat again.

However, the four captains agreed that T10 games were better than bowl-offs and the Stones ground staff worked hard to ensure play took place.

Batsmen had to retire when reaching 50 in the 10-over-per-innings format and there were five retirements in the three games on finals day.

Thornton put the disappointment of losing the leadership of the Premier Division on Saturday behind them with success over Copley in the first semi-final.

Openers Alex Rowles and Alex Blagborough gave Copley a brilliant start, both retiring on 51, but their teammates were unable to cash in and the innings finished on 114-1.

Thornton knocked off the runs in 8.5 overs for the loss of one wicket with Josh Hutchinson (55 retired) on top form, ably supported by Ben Burkill (26 no), Ross Soames (18) and Nikki Hutchinson (10 no).

While Thornton put their feet up, Warley made the highest score of the day with 124-6 against Triangle.

Amjid Azam (37), Greg Keywood (32) and Daniel Syme (19) put bat to ball effectively and Christian Silkstone (2-12) was the only bowler to take more than one wicket during the day.

Silkstone chose not to bat until the second wicket had fallen, by which time the run rate had crept up. Dan Crosland made 31 and Chris Metcalf 22 before a belated 29 not out from the skipper saw Triangle fall short by 15 runs in the face of some tight Warley bowling.

Thornton elected to field in the final. Warley lost Azam for a duck and Keywood for 10 but Dan Syme hit a blistering 50 before having to retire, one huge six threatening a nearby property.

Shazad Hassan (30), Haroon Razzak (10 no) and skipper Matthew Whitworth (11 not out) pushed the total up to 111-3.

Hutchinson hit another 55 retired and Burkill (33) took Thornton to within striking distance of their target but they faltered late on in the face of some excellent captaincy by Whitworth and finished on 98-4.

League chairman Anthony Briggs, who is also the business development manager for Heineken, brewers of Foster’s, presented the trophy.

Syme, man of the match in the Parish Cup final, added Sunday’s individual award as judged by Stones cricket chairman David Mobbs.