Upper Airedale triumph over Bradford League (From Craven Herald)

Upper Airedale triumph over Bradford League

6:35pm Wednesday 17th June 2009 in

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The Upper Airedale Junior League U-12s’ second meeting with the Bradford JCL proved another successful encounter gaining a 31-run victory.

UAJCL, with five changes, were asked to bat first and a new opening pair of Angus McCabe (Skipton) and Toby Priestley (Denholme) were to face Josh Wilson, who conceded a boundary (to Angus) in the first over.

With Danny Marshall coming in from the Gate House end, the scoring rate was halted by accurate straight containment. After six overs only 14 were on the board despite the warm sunny weather and fast outfield.

The pairing settled nicely with Toby taking the major role and for ten overs they picked off the bad balls to fine effect. The partnership was broken by second change Joe Bowman, bowling Angus for nine off 31 balls.

Toby, though, had played himself in well and Jack Keighley (Oakworth) joined him to push the innings onward. Jack was soon stumped by Alex Hobson for just two off Tom Blanchard, a Harden player but ironically a product of the Skipton club.

The dismissal brought skipper George Sutcliffe (Skipton) to the crease alongside Toby.

The pair gelled really well taking boundaries from most Bradford bowlers although Joe Bowman and Danny Marshall gave little away. Toby was now in full flow and runs came quickly to the tall Denholme lad and 34 runs were added for the third wicket in under four overs as they cut loose.

It was again Blanchard who stopped their progress thanks to a good catch from Josh Wilson. Toby had 44 to his name from just 46 balls. He had six fours and a six in a dominant innings.

Earby ‘master blaster’ Luke Hipgrave, the hero at Oxenhope, was next in and they continued the rich batting vein found by the previous pairing. They took UAJCL past the 100-mark in the 20th over.

George, with four fours in his 23 was bowled by a beauty from Sam McEvoy, who was dragging the run-rate downwards as the innings entered its last third. Left-hander Oliver Huck found McEvoy and Ryan Williamson bowling better lengths than some of the earlier Bradford attack.

Uncharacteristically Luke too was held up and they took seven overs adding 25 to the total. Oliver was winkled out by Williamson at 133-5 and 10-year-old Lewis Hopkinson (Oxenhope) took his place. He made five, including a stunning four off Josh Wilson, although the returning opener had his castle down at 138-6.

Luke departed with two balls to go with 24 to add to his 53 at Oxenhope. Sam Nettleton picked up four and the UAJCL knock ended at 142-7 The Bradford bowling had been somewhat mixed, the pick perhaps Williamson with 2-6 and the stylish opener Wilson.

The Malsis tea was truly scrumptious with enough for an even bigger crowd than already present.

Gargrave’s Jonah Smith bowled with pace and power and Oakworth’s Sam Nettleton also used his pacy left-arm to great effect. In his first over he beat Kevin McDermott to have his timbers akimbo. The other opener was Tom Blanchard and his wise strategy of taking time to settle was to prove appropriate. In the seventh over Jonah too struck gold with Josh Gledhill bowled for nine.

Blanchard was dropped by George standing up on the same score in an early period of supremacy for UAJCL. Ryan Williamson proved stubborn and his stay allowed Blanchard to begin to accumulate. With 14 from his first 30 balls he went on to add another 37 from his next before his team manager retired him on a sterling 51.

The left-arm round of Thomas Storr caused the Bradford batsmen much consternation, although Blanchard threaded a number of fours to the boundary from both Luke Hipgrave and Georgina Smith’s three-over spells.

Williamson was bowled by a peach from Lewis Hopkinson at 72-3 in the 19th over leaving the visitors requiring a further 71 in just 11 overs. James Massheeder added just one after a superb direct hit from the deep by an energetic Georgina Smith.

Alex Hobson led a mini-revival but Harry Cullingford fell to the left arm of Oliver Huck at 91-5 in the 25th over. Sam Nettleton had removed Hobson for 18 with a successful lbw appeal although an immediate second appeal against Marshall was turned down.

The game had swung heftily to UAJCL as Bradford needed over tenper over to match their score. A ten-ball duck from Danny Marshall (bowled by Angus McCabe) didn’t improve things and the innings slid to a conclusion at 111-7, 31 adrift of the UAJCL posting.

Five UAJCL bowlers took wickets with three maidens from Nettleton in a fine all-round display, highlighted by superb fielding galvanised by the impressive Georgina Smith, not at all overawed by the occasion.

UAJCL U-12s are now unbeaten in five matches and will look for a sixth against the Bradford League on their territory on August 2.