Wakefield Thornes lose out to leaders but third team lifts Heywood Williams Trophy

Thornes went into the match knowing nothing less than victory would do if they were to make a late run for the title and they put up a battling effort, but are now 26 points behind the table toppers with only three matches remaining.

With Tickhill, Doncaster Town and Appleby Frodingham also ahead of the Wakefield side it is unlikely that they can make up the lost ground now.

It was not for the want of trying as they managed to restrict Collegiate to 236-6 despite the Sheffield side giving themselves a solid base when 104-1 and 147-2.

Although wickets were not easy to find for the Thornes bowlers they did not give too much away with two victims each for Jawad Akhtar, Joshua Hen-Boisen and Shubham Sharma.

Kieran Donnachie (30), Joe Billings (41) and Sharma (20) gave Thornes a solid start to their reply as they reached 82-2, but wickets then fell at regular intervals and despite a fighting 41 from Matty Taylor they were all out for 196.

Wakefield Thornes’ seconds recorded a two-wicket win over Sheffield United in Division One.

In a low scoring affair Sheffield were bowled out for 124 as Brad Green (4-28), Rob Stephenson (3-20 from 15 overs) and Abdullah Asim (3-39) shared the wickets.

Thornes batters also struggled, but they reached their target in the 33rd over with Jamie Howarth (21) and Nicholas England (19) top scoring.

Pride of place at Wakefield Thornes went to the third team as they lifted the Pontefract League’s Heywood Williams Trophy with a 37-run victory over West Bretton seconds in the final.

Saqlain Shahzad took the starring role as he smashed seven sixes and nine fours in a match-winning knock of 92 made from just 37 balls.

With support from Abdullah Asim (26) and Stephen Batty (24) Wakefield were able to post a big 189-6 score from their 20 overs.

Bretton, whose most successful bowler was Ben Barras (3-34), threatened to knock off the runs required when opener Lee Matthews (61) and James Gallagher (49) were at the crease, but the rest of the batting line-up could not back them up and they ended on 152-6.