Blackley pair hit centuries

Opener Hughes and skipper added 195 in an unbroken third-wicket stand to bat hosts Warley out of the game in the Premier Division of the Foster’s Halifax League yesterday.

Hughes hit 11 fours and seven sixes in a knock of 124 not out and Jennison cracked 10 fours and 10 maximums in his unbeaten 128.

Their heroics helped Blackley, who had been beaten by 86 runs in the cup by foes from two divisions lower, pile up 323 for two.

Warley had to settle for maximum batting points at 209 for seven in reply. Chris White and James Watson took three weeks each while Nolan Bottomley hit 61 at the top of the Warley order.

Last year’s middle section champions SBCI notched their first win back in the Premier with a 34-run victory over visitors Southowram, who are yet to get off the mark in 2015.

Robin Hanson’s five for 46 off 15 overs helped SBCI defend a total of 174 for seven.

Mytholmroyd have edged four points clear of champions Jer Lane at the top. Both are unbeaten after five rounds of fixtures.

Steve Senior, a Shay hero as a stand-in ‘keeper for Ovenden West Riding in the Halifax FA Cup final recently, hit 126 for Mythomroyd at home to Thornton.

Senior, Adie Gawthorpe (76) and Luke Sutcliffe (57) helped ‘Royd pile up 320 and opening bowlers Jack Earle (five for 45) and Amzid Azam (four for 55) helped wrap up a 198-run win.

Jer Lane returned to Copley, the scene of last August’s Parish Cup final defeat, and exacted revenge with a seven-wicket win over their hosts.

A tough afternoon looked in store for the champs when Chris Dennison (81) and Nick Gomersall (53) put on 135 for Copley’s first wicket.

However, Nabil Khan dismissed them both on the way to five for 89 off 19 and Copley had to settle for 210 for six.

Lane knocked off the runs in 33 overs with Wayne Cotton making 50 before Raqeeb Younas crashed eight sixes in an unbeaten 96.

Sowerby Bridge had an easy win along the road at Triangle, who were dismissed for 136 with Ashton Richardson taking four for 12, while Booth were 32-run winners at Queensbury.

Points: Mytholmroyd 52, Jer Lane 48, Booth 45, Sowerby Bridge 42, Warley 34, Blackley 33, Thornton 31, SBCI 27, Copley 24, Queensbury 24, Triangle 23, Southowram 19.

Sowerby St Peter’s joined Northowram HT at the top of Division One after a quick fire win at Luddenden Foot.

Matthew Hoyle (five for 42) and Chris Punda (four for 24) dismissed Foot for 66 and Ben Watkins (47 no) and Hayden Bruce (17 no) needed only six overs at the crease to register a 10-wicket win.

Oxenhope’s last pair denied Northowram HT maximum points but Chris Conroy’s side will be happy with an Adam Stocks-inspired success.

Stocks made 92 in a total of 253 for nine and Oxenhope, in the hunt half-way through their reply, couldn’t find anyone to hang around with left-hander Graham Smith (81) and never threatened the home total, although a late flurry of runs left them only 27 short.

Bridgeholme continued their pleasing start to middle-section life with a four-wicket win at Low Moor, who were dismissed for 143.

Low Moor slipped to the bottom as Stones knocked off 254 to beat visitors Bradshaw.

Points: Sowerby SP 50, Northowram HT 50, Bridgeholme 40, Bradshaw 34, Luddenden Foot 24, Oxenhope 21, Stones 20, Low Moor 19.

Old Town haven’t had too much to celebrate in recent years but they lifted themselves off the bottom of Division Two with a five-wicket win over Upper Hopton.

Jahangir Khan gave them hope with a seven for 46 haul to cut short Hopton’s promising start and leave the visitors needing 175 to win.

Third-wicket pair Abdi Hussain (50) and James Yates (64) got them close and Henry Butterworth (25 no) finished the job.

Cullingworth are the new leaders after they amassed 329 for seven en route to victory over Greetland while Old Crossleyans slipped to defeat at Clayton, in spite of the efforts of Richard Dixon (six for 66) and Harry Reynolds (four for 49 and 46).

Points: Cullingworth 44, Outlane 43, Old Crossleyans 43, Great Horton PC 36, Clayton 34, Denholme Clough 28, Upper Hopton 26, Greetland 243, Old Town 23, Shelf 15.