Castleford move to within one win of Yorkshire Premier League North title
Victory in their last game will see Castleford CC take the Yorkshire Premier League North crown after they made a timely return to winning ways against Beverley Town.
After defeats in their previous two matches Calum Rowe’s men were desperate for victory against second from bottom opponents and achieved their aim with a 69-run success thanks to half centuries from Chris Holliday, Brayden Clark and Rowe.
With title rivals Sheriff Hutton Bridge winning the it left Castleford eight points clear at the top with just one game remaining.
With 10 points awarded for a win they know another victory may be needed to secure the title, but it is no easy task they face, however, as they are away to Woodhouse Grange, who are in fifth and in good form with wins in their last three matches.
Castleford maintained their top spot with a solid display against Beverley when they responded well to being put in to bat first.
Openers Holliday (51) and Clark (59) put on 86 for the first wicket and the latter then combined with skipper Rowe (52) in another 86-run stand for the second wicket.
The innings faltered a little after this as wickets went down in the pursuit of quicker runs, but Cas ended up with a 232-9 total.
Beverley were quickly reduced to 5-3 in their reply with two wickets for Matt Rees and a run out.
They recovered through Oscar Patterson (30), Adam Pashby (34) and Gregory Whyley (42), but Castleford kept chipping away and they were eventually all out for 163 with Holliday taking 3-13 and Scott Hopkinson 3-32.