Methley lose out to New Farnley in Priestley Cup final

Methley played their part in an entertaining Gordon Rigg Priestley Cup final, but missed out on the trophy when they lost by five wickets to New Farnley.
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Adam Waite’s superb unbeaten 127 saw long-time Bradford League leaders Farnley home past Methley’s competitive 261-9 score.

Methley will have thought they were in with a shout at the half-way mark, but Waite’s quality innings took the game away from them. It was the third highest individual score made in the final’s history and he became only the second player to win the man of the match award three times – equalling the feat of former Yorkshire player Neil Hartley.

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New Farnley only completed their win with seven balls to spare, though, in one of the closest fought finals of recent years.

Jason Marshall hit 79 for Methley in their Priestley Cup final against New Farnley.Jason Marshall hit 79 for Methley in their Priestley Cup final against New Farnley.
Jason Marshall hit 79 for Methley in their Priestley Cup final against New Farnley.

After choosing to bat first Methley overcame the loss of two early wickets to reach 147-2 as in-form opener Jason Marshall came together with county cricketer Matthew Waite to put on 108 for the third wicket in a commanding partnership.

The stand was ended when when Marshall was well caught in the deep by Aidan Langley for 79, having hit nine fours and a six.

Waite went to his half century, but when he was out for 56, bowled by Alex Lilley (3-54) at 162-4 there was a danger the momentum would be lost.

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Eitan Litvin, Tom Chippendale and Charlie McMurran all fell to the spin of Gurman Randhawa (3-40), but another of Methley’s county men James Wainman ensured they had a good score to defend as he made an unbeaten 71, hitting 11 fours two sixes in his 50-ball knock.

Farnley were reduced to 51-3 in their reply with all the wickets falling to Tom Chippendale (3-42). But they responded with Waite finding a willing ally in Steve Bullen who hit 73 from 76 balls.

Steadily they increased the tempo of the innings and put on 142 before Charlie McMurran dismissed Bullen after he had hit seven fours and two sixes in his 76-ball knock.

McMurran struck again, but victim Dan Hodgson had made 23 from 18 balls and Farnley were down to wanting 13 from the last 15 balls.

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Lilley sealed the win with an over to spare by hitting a two and a four from successive balls from Wainman before smashing him for a six from the next delivery.

Waite finished on 127 not out, an innings containing one six and 16 fours, and he proved once again he is a player for the big occasion with New Farnley as a team too also rising to their challenges, having doing the Priestley and Heavy Woollen Cup double for a second successive year.

Earlier this summer they edged out Townville in the Heavy Woollen finale.

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