South Kirkby leapfrog rivals on final day to take Pontefract League title

The Premier Division title race went right down to the last week of the season and saw Kirkby overtake rivals Askern Welfare as they earned 16 points from their victory while the runners-up picked up five points with their final game at Crofton Phoenix abandoned due to the home team’s problems with their wicket.

They knew nothing less than victory would do and Kirkby took control of their game at Normanton as their hosts chose to go in first and never really got going before they were all out for 108.

Kamran Farooq top scored with 24, but it was always a struggle against an attack led by Liam Rollin (4-10 from 8.4 overs) and Ben Elmore (3-10 off nine overs).

After a shower that briefly threatened to derail Kirkby’s championship charge they were given a revised target of 105 from 42 overs and set about trying to get them quickly in case there was any more rain around.

They did lose five wickets, but opener Dale Woolsey blasted 61 from 65 balls, including nine fours and a six, and the side reached their target in 21.5 overs so the celebrations could begin.

The senior team made it a double celebration as South Kirkby’s third team also clinched the Division Four title, finishing a massive 51 points ahead of runners-up Balby Recreation.

At the other end of the Premier table Knottingley Town will likely face relegation after finishing second from bottom.

They did at least end on a bit of a high note with an 11-run win over Old Sharlston after making 184-9.

Scott Howe (47) top scored while Kokila Gomez hit 28 and Tharindu Madushan 27 before Sharlston were bowled out for 173 with Gomez taking 4-47 and Harvey Bukhari 3-34.

Hemsworth MW leapfrogged Calder Grove to finish in sixth place after beating them by two wickets.

In a high scoring game they did well to overhaul their opponents’ big 329-6 total.

James Gorton claimed 3-62, but Grove were carried to their big score by opener Ryan Jones who hit 153.

Hemsworth had two century makers in their reply as Max Heritage blasted a superb 110 from 74 balls, hitting 18 fours and three sixes, and Billy Briggs came up with an eventual match winning unbeaten 113 from 65 deliveries when he smashed 16 fours plus three sixes.

With Alfie Taberner also contributing a run-a-ball 37 Welfare were able to get over the line with an over to spare.

A narrow victory in a low scoring Championship contest saw Glasshoughton end in fifth place.

After bowling Stainborough out for only 90, with Jake Medley taking 4-37 and Yathish Gowda 3-24, it was also a struggle for the Glasshoughton batsmen, but they edged home by one wicket. Max Dakin top scored with 28.

Thorpe Audlin are champions of Division One after finishing two points ahead of Newton Hill.

In another title race decided on the last day of the season they clinched top spot with a 16-point haul from their eight-wicket success against Brodsworth Main.

The bowlers paved the way as Main were dismissed for 91 with Chamila Wijesinghe taking 3-22 and Matthew Faulkner 3-7.

Thorpe were reduced to 4-2 in their reply, but did not lose any more wickets as they sailed past their target in just 13.4 overs, Charlie Abel hitting 43no and Max Charlottes 39.

Ferrybridge Power Station ended their season in fifth place after losing their final game by 22 runs to St Chad’s Broomfield.

They were all out for 154 in reply to 176 as Mohit Paul’s unbeaten 83 from 52 balls proved in vain. He smashed eight sixes and five fours.

David Shaw (4-34) had done most to restrict St Chad’s.

Whitley Bridge avoided relegation from Division One as they leapfrogged Bullcroft Main to get out of the bottom two when producing a superb display to defeat them by 10 wickets.

Main appeared to have done a decent job as they responded to being put in by making 201-8. But Bridge’s openers brilliantly combined for an unbroken double century partnership to race past the target in just 21.5 overs.

Dijit Singh hit 100no off only 51 balls as he smashed eight sixes and 10 fours while Ed Wilson hit 12 fours and four sixes in an unbeaten 95 made from 79 balls.