Ton-up Joe Billings stars as Wakefield Thornes keep up challenge

Chasing Town’s 228, Thornes reached their target with nine balls to spare thanks largely to Billings’ knock of 116no, which included seven boundaries.

Support came from skipper James Wolfenden (20) and lower down the order with Jawad Akhtar hitting 30 and Matty Taylor 20.

Doncaster had been put into bat first and were able to set a challenging target with Charlie Kaye hitting 109 from 90 balls.

James Ward also hit 33 while opening bowlers Taylor (4-46) and Orminder Singh (4-62) did most to restrict Town.

With this victory Wakefield remain in third place and still have an outside chance of the title as they are 26 points behind leaders Appleby Frodingham with three matches remaining and the two clubs set to meet at Thornes’ ground next Monday.

Wakefield Thornes’ second team had a mixed weekend as they followed a 22-run victory over Oughtibridge with a four-wicket loss to Rotherham Town in the YSPL Division One.

In the first of the matches Thornes were put in and responded by totalling 234-6 with Jonathan Scott leading the way, hitting an unbeaten 106 that included 13 fours.

He joined Jamie Howarth (52) for a 93-run second wicket stand while Sam Darth hit 31 aftercoming in at number seven.

Oughtibridge came close to chasing down the runs, but ended their 50 overs on 212-9. Benjamin Tyers (50) was their top scorer while James Donnachie claimed 3-40, Howarth 3-54 and Adam Naz 3-83.

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A day later the Wakefield team chose to bat first, but only made 189.

Opener Joshua Hen-Boisen hit 65, but wickets fell around him until Junaid Yousaf contributed 44 down the order.

The score would have been lower had it not been for a 54-run last wicket stand between Yousaf and Donnachie (18no).

Rotherham were reduced to 101-5 in their reply, but reached their target with four wickets and 2.4 overs to spare after Irfan Mirza (57) and Ijaz Riaz (27) put on 84 for the sixth wicket. Kamran Hussain and Hen-Boisen took two wickets each for Thornes.